The Darkness Within
by Cinderella's Slipper
Summary: Pregnant at sixteen, engaged, her best friend is married to Lord Voldemort, and she's turning the entire Wizarding World upside down. And it all traces back to one choice Ginny made, to let Lucius Malfoy go during the battle in the Department of Mysteries. Oops? Pre HBP. Repost.
1. Prologue

**Prologue  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_June 9, 1996_

_Hey Kat,_

_Sorry it's taken a while for me to write but things have been crazy here at school but if you got the Sunday prophet I'm sure you know why. In case you don't know or haven't seen the Prophet, the Ministry of Magic was broken into last week and Fudge has finally admitted Tom's return to the world. Gods if my family knew I still referred to You-Know-Who as Tom they'd have a fit, course they'd probably have a fit and disown me if they knew the truth about what I did at the Ministry that night._

_I've probably just confused the heck out of you. I'm sorry. My brain is still trying to process everything that happened and what I did, which if my brother or Harry ever found out about it, I wouldn't be here to write to you anymore. _

_Anyway, about the Ministry. Well it appears Tom's been working his way into Harry's head all year and he managed to make Harry think that he, Tom, was torturing Harry's godfather in the Hall of Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries. Harry being the typical Gryffindor decided to run to the rescue and Ron, Mione, Neville, Luna and I tagged along. I know, I know, bloody stupid thing to do just to try to get Harry to notice me but I did it anyway. Mainly because I can't stand the way he looks at that Chang girl all the time, although he hasn't been doing that lately. I guess that's because her friend ratted us out to Umbridge, the bloody bint. Anyway, back to the Ministry. So we all go charging off to the rescue. After quite the battle between us six and the Death Eaters Tom sent after us in the hopes of stealing the prophecy which Harry did manage to retrieve from the Hall of Prophecy, we all end up, most of us injured in some respect, me with a bloody twisted ankle of all things, we're all in a room with this weird arch thing. Harry and Luna swore they could hear voices coming from it but none of the rest of us could hear it. Well while we're all looking at the weird arch thing, the Death Eaters manage to make it into the room where they separate us all from Harry, threatening to kill us if he doesn't hand over the prophecy. _

_This is where things got weird Kat. Harry actually handed the prophecy over to the head Death Eater, who was none other than Lord Lucius Malfoy himself. I've known he was a Death Eater ever since my first year seeing as he's the one that gave me Tom's diary in Flourish and Blott's and that's not the weird part. I don't know how to explain it really but for some reason I wanted Harry to give him the prophecy. _

_Shortly after Harry handed the prophecy over, the Order of the Phoenix showed up and once again we were in the middle of a battle in the Department of Mysteries. Everything was just total chaos. I don't really remember much of what actually happened after the Order showed up other than I somehow found myself standing there with Lord Malfoy cornered and wandless. Kat, I don't know why I did what I did next and if anyone found out it was me…Kat I let him go. The battle was still raging on and… With the Order there it was only a matter of time before the Aurors showed up and I…I couldn't stand the thought of him behind bars in Azkaban with the Dementors. Kat I don't know why but I told him to hit me and run. It took me a few tries to get it through to him but eventually he did as I told him. He hit me hard across the face, knocking me down hard enough that I hit my head and blacked out. When I came to, the other Death Eaters that had been with him, well except Bellatrix Lestrange, were all captured by the Order and he was gone._

_It was so strange Kat. I had him. I had Lord Malfoy, Tom's right hand man and I let him go. I willingly let him go. And before you ask, no I wasn't under Imperius or anything like that. Something inside of me just told me to let him go. The strangest thing though was this overwhelming urge to kiss him. I know, you probably think that's the grossest thing you've ever heard. Me who am not even fifteen yet want to kiss not the Golden Boy Harry Potter but Lord Lucius Malfoy, a man who tried to kill me three years ago and is at least what…in his mid-forties or so. Gods if anyone found out about what I did in the Ministry or that my desires are not leaning to where they think they should be, I'll be doomed. _

_Damn, I gotta go if I want to send this before we leave for Hogsmeade and the Express home. Hope to hear from you soon._

_Love,_

_Gin._


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Saturday October 18th, 1997  
Hogsmeade Village  
The Three Broomsticks  
Upstairs Room 4  
10:19 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

Ginny looked up when she heard footsteps drawing near the room and grinned before rising and stretching up on the tips of her toes behind the table, knowing the table cloth hid the fact she was doing that.

"Ginny!" she exclaimed as she opened the door and rushed in, kicking it shut with her foot as she hurried over and they hugged before she stepped back. "Bloody hell! You grew! No, it's not fair you _can't_ be taller than me!"

"Don't worry, I'm not," Ginny grinned as she lowered back to the flat of her feet.

"You little brat!"

"I couldn't resist," she giggled, "Sorry Kat."

"Evil, evil witch," Kat shook her head as she glared at Ginny before shrugging and grinning. "Oh my God it so good to see you I can't believe it's only been three months since the last school year ended. I've _missed_ you so!" she reached for another hug.

"I've missed you too," Ginny said returning her friend's hug. "You have no idea how much. I thought today would never come."

"I know!" Kat agreed before stepping back, "Come on, we have so much to catch up on, but I need tea and something to eat. My Mother is out of her mind and the last thing I wanted to do this morning was go into the dinning room. She's blowing steam out of her ears I tell you," she rolled her eyes as she moved to sit in the other chair, pulling her black curls that fell to the middle of her back over one shoulder, waving her wand once to let Rosmerta know they were ready when she had a chance before promptly resting one elbow on the table and propping her chin on her hand. "Your hair is different, is it longer?"

"Longer and straighter, the waves were starting to annoy me. Mum will probably pitch a fit when she sees it," Ginny shrugged. "What's your Mother done now that's got you skipping breakfast?"

"Well, first I should say that I'm getting married, or so I've been informed."

"Wh…what?" asked Ginny choking slightly in shock.

"That was my reaction," Kat chuckled. "He's been friends with my family for ages, and asked my father for my hand in marriage and he thinks it would be a good match, I'd be well taken care of. So right now I'm engaged, betrothed, whatever and right now I'm supposed to be getting to know him beyond simply being someone my father knows."

"Well at least you're guaranteed to get married," Ginny grumbled as she fiddled with the napkin on the table in front of her.

"Hey," Kat leaned over and placed her hand on Ginny's, "No thinking you've seen your end all. You want I'll still introduce you to all the eligible bachelors who will treat you like the princess you are."

"No guy in their right mind is going to want to get involved with the girl who broke the Boy-Who-Lived's heart. Trust me on this. Once it became public knowledge that Harry'd moved on with Hermione after we broke up, no one wants me. My parents have been trying to arrange something and everyone they've approached has said no. Even Neville Longbottom's grandmother refused them saying that there must be something wrong with me if Harry tossed me aside and there was no way her grandson was going to get saddled with me for a wife," Ginny said.

"Well, there is an advantage to me being matchmaker..." Kat mused.

"And what's that?" asked Ginny tiredly, trying to keep her ever increasing depression out of her voice.

"The men I know, don't give a horntail's arse about the Boy-Who-Lived, actually they would all probably look at you and be all amazed that you were able to get away from the black hole that seems to draw people too him as my brother put it once. Course you know that doesn't mean we all don't like him... just think it's bloody ridiculous how the world treats him like some sort of God and all..." she shrugged lightly.

"Let's forget about my guy problems for now," Ginny suggested. "I'm damaged property anyway and the wizard I want would never lower himself to even look at me never mind doing anything else with me so let's focus on you and your betrothed. You said he's a family friend?"

"Well technically it's more Daddy's side than Mothers," Kat began before the door opened to admit Rosmerta, "Good morning!"

"Good morning ladies," she smiled, "Do you have any idea what you'd like?"

"I'd like a traditional tea?" Kat asked.

"Of course, and you Miss Ginny?"

"Orange juice please Rosemerta," Ginny replied.

"Anything else? Something to eat?"

"I've already had breakfast but some cookies or something would be nice," Ginny shrugged.

"Certainly," she nodded, "It will be ready in a few minutes," she continued before leaving.

"So where was I?" Kat asked after the door shut.

"Uh your newly betrothed soon to be hubby is your father's friend, not your mother's," Ginny supplied.

That's right," she nodded, "Mother is actually livid over the fact I'm betrothed to him, course Daddy's got no clue. He's actually quite the catch all things considered and she's making it quite clear when it's just the two of us that I am in no way deserving of him. But my Aunt is insisting on helping with wedding plans so Mother has to act like she's enjoying it and it's all sorts of insane. Daddy's of course busy with work so breakfast is her best time of the day to sit and explain in very descriptive detail just how much of a disappointment I will be to my fiancé... I swear, why Daddy hasn't divorced her I will never understand. It's not like he loves her..." she rolled her eyes.

"But why doesn't she approve of him? I mean if he's been your father's friend for so long surely he must be a decent enough person, someone who's going to look after you and everything."

"It's not him she doesn't approve of. She thinks he's too good for me and I'm the unworthy one. I'm her mistake after all. I think she'd rather see my baby brother involved with him before me... course considering my brother is gay that wouldn't be that big of a stretch," she frowned before shrugging.

"I still have trouble believing any mother wouldn't want a daughter," Ginny said shaking her head.

"Mother is quite selfish; I think she would have been quite happy had I died at birth. She adores my brother, whereas I am most certainly Daddy's girl, I think that bugs her too, he lets me do anything. And my brother and I are close and he prefers spending time with me than her so..." she shrugged. "But why are we discussing my insane mother's hatred of me? What about you? How has the new school year been?"

"School is school. Classes are harder but that's to be expected being a sixth year now. Quidditch practice is a little tense these days since Harry and I called it quits. We're still friends and he doesn't blame me for the break up since we both agreed we're better off as just friends but my git brother is being a real jerk about it. He keeps nagging me about how can I keep tormenting Harry by continuing to play on the team. Never mind the fact that I'm the best bloody chaser on the team _**and**_ Harry's back up if anything happened and he couldn't play. Thankfully because Harry and I aren't seeing each other anymore that git Malfoy doesn't tend to acknowledge me anymore, which is a vast improvement on the insults he used to throw my way…course getting hit with the bat-bogey hex the other year has made him a little wary of me if you ask me," Ginny said.

Kat giggled, "I would have loved to have seen you throw a bat-bogey hex on him."

"It was priceless. I loved the look on his face and his goons were no help to him either," Ginny giggled. "Too bad I got sorted into Gryffindor though, bloody hat, cause I would have loved to have used him to get back at my brother," she shrugged.

"From what I know about Slytherins, you would have been a fantastic one," Kat giggled as their food appeared on the table. "Have you guys had your first game of the season yet or no?"

"I actually wanted to be a Slytherin. I actually begged the hat to put in Slytherin…well any house except Gryffindor actually and yet it didn't listen. Told me all Weasleys, especially me, are supposed to be Gryffindors. As to Quidditch, the first match is next weekend. Gryffindor against Slytherin as usual."

"That Hat is bloody stupid, was visiting the school for my Uncle's graduation ages ago and I sort of managed to talk to it while the Headmaster was talking to Daddy, it said I would have been put in Hufflepuff had I gone to the school. Daddy would have dropped over with a heart attack if that happened..."

"I would have been disowned if I had ended up in Slytherin, even though that's where I wanted."

"Well, as horrible as that sounds, I can tell you this, Slytherins are closer than family. They're not all evil like people like to think. Daddy was a Slytherin, so was my and my brother's Godfather. That's how they met actually; Daddy's Sixth year was Papa Taliesin's First."

"It doesn't matter that the Slytherins are like a family because in my family Slytherins are evil no questions asked, no exceptions."

"Yes well, no offence intended but I always figured the rest of your family was bloody close-minded and rather hypocritical if you ask me."

"No offence taken," Ginny laughed. "Trust me I know. I have to be careful what I say around any of them so that they don't jump to the wrong conclusion. And I make sure my actions are above reproach…well, at least I try to. Harry and I splitting up kind of made them flip out."

"I can just imagine," she gave a half smile. "I have an idea!" she sat up. "Oh I have a simply wonderful idea."

"Should I be worried?" asked Ginny sceptically.

"Come to my house for the holidays."

"What? Kat…I couldn't…I wouldn't want to impose or anything," Ginny said, shaking her head as she broke one of the cookies into little tiny pieces, not even bothering to eat it.

"Would I honestly ask if you would be imposing?" she countered with a look, "Come on, it's going to be Daddy, my brother and his boyfriend, me and Mother all the holidays. Okay so there will be a dinner on Christmas Eve for family members and we have a traditional Ornament Exchange then. But otherwise it's probably just going to be the five of us and I would love to have someone there to spend time with and I know Daddy would agree in a heartbeat... It would be something different then staying at the school like every year..." she trailed off with another shrug.

"Kat, as much as I love you, I don't know how comfortable I'd be. I mean you're well off and I barely have two knuts of my own. I wouldn't have anything to wear to a fancy dinner, at least nothing that could ever possibly live up to your family's standards and as for gifts…like I said I barely have two knuts to spend on anything," Ginny argued.

"Ginger," Kat rolled her eyes, "You're there as my guest, you can borrow anything under the sun if you feel like you aren't fitting in clothing wise, but even then in case you haven't noticed whenever we get together we don't go running around in silks and laces and such... okay so Mother does but she's odd. Daddy, my brother and I, we typically around the house do jumpers and regular pants and such, we have to dress up nice for work and for school in my brother's case and for any parties and such, but around the house we're quite relaxed. As for gifts, you're a guest, it's not required to do gifts! And you'd be staying in my section of the house so you'd never have to see anyone other than me if you wanted, we could go riding every day, the only thing I would be evil and do is drag you to see my company's performance of the holiday ballet, but that's part of my gift to you whether you're at the house or not, and I totally just gave away part of your Christmas presents..." she shook her head before continuing softly, "Look, don't say no now, don't say yes either, but think about it okay?"

"Okay, I'll think about it. I don't even know if my parents will let me but I'll think about it," agreed Ginny as she ran her hand through her hair.

"Well, in regards to your parents, how can they say no to you going home for the holidays with a friend in Hufflepuff?" Kat smirked, "But anyway, I'll let it drop. So you got a game coming up with Slytherin, how's their team look this year? Daddy is going to be eagerly watching the tournament like always. He played a few years in school, Chaser. Drove him nuts that I'd rather be on a winged horse than a broom."

"I don't know, I haven't had the chance to see them in action yet but if they're anything like last year, I'll spend half my time avoiding the Bludgers sent my way by Malfoy's goons."

"Crabbe and Goyle right?"

"Who else. They seem to take great pleasure in hitting the Bludgers at me and Harry. They nearly killed me with one last year. I was lucky enough to duck out of the way in time otherwise it would have hit me in the side of the head," Ginny admitted.

"They're idiots, I swear," Kat rolled her eyes.

"You're telling me. I always make sure I'm never alone in the same area as they are since I'm afraid of what they might try…" Ginny shuddered.

"If you're thinking what you might be... don't, they despise women, lovers actually, which if that isn't a scary thought I don't know what is..."

"Gods Kat, that was _**not**_ an image I needed right now," Ginny said dropping her head to the table, letting it thunk rather loudly as it hit.

"Sorry," Kat ducked her head, "Hey, at least you haven't walked in on them, I did on my brother and his boyfriend... although at least I can honestly say my brother and his boyfriend are both fantastic specimens of the male human species..."

"Okay enough of the images," Ginny groaned. "I have enough trouble sleeping as it is I don't need any more naked men running through my dreams."

"But that might make you sleep better if you had a few naked men around, intent on making you more relaxed..." Kat smirked.

"You obviously missed the part where I said I didn't need any _**more**_ naked men in my dreams. One is more than enough," Ginny groaned as she stifled a yawn.

"Since you're still quite tired, I would beg to disagree," Kat smirked.

"I force myself to wake up the minute I realize I'm dreaming about him again so I never actually get to sleep through the night."

"Girl, just let yourself enjoy one night, your body will thank you, and possibly for more than just a full night of sleep."

"Don't you think I want to?" grumbled Ginny.

"Then why _don't_ you? Put a silencing charm around your bed, set a charm to wake you up for breakfast, and simply enjoy one night."

"Kat, he's old enough to be my father," Ginny groaned. "Plus I have a hard enough time looking at him when I _do_ see him, I can only image how hard it would be to look at him and know that I…"

"How often do you actually run into Lucius Malfoy?" Kat countered, "Besides, you think you're the first to have fantasies about someone older than them? I know for a fact my great-grandmother had a terribly scary fantasy about Albus Dumbledore, course he was only twenty-five years older than her and in his forties at the time but still."

"Oh, now that's an image I didn't need," cried Ginny in disgust. "And no I don't see Lucius Malfoy all that often but I _do_ see his son on a rather constant basis…"

"Alright, so _yes_ Draco looks exceptionally like Lucius, and _fortunately_ very little like his Mother, wonderful Malfoy genes those... but I digress, you see _him_, not his _father_."

"I knew I never should have told you about this," mumbled Ginny. "Kat, he's the enemy of my family. He thinks we're blood traitors or something. I am so far beneath his notice that he wouldn't even see me for looking at me. How can I allow myself to dream of a man like that?"

"Because some dreams are never meant to be more than just dreams, and there's nothing wrong in enjoying them, and I promise, I'll stop. But you do need sleep Ginger, you look ready to drop."

"I barely made it out of bed this morning," admitted Ginny.

"Hmm, well I didn't get to bed until two hours before I came so... Roses was in labour last night. Want to say tell Rosmerta we want the room a bit longer and convert it into a bedroom and take naps?"

"I would love some uneventful sleep if that were possible and I honestly don't know if I'll make it back up to the castle," Ginny yawned.

"Then sleep we shall do," she smiled before waving her wand and Rosmerta appeared moments later.

"I was two doors down," she explained at the look of surprise, "What can I do for you ladies?"

"We'd like to keep the room a bit longer and actually take naps if possible," Kat explained quickly.

"Oh, not a problem," Rosmerta smiled before pointing her wand at the other side of the room and a few flicks, "There you go, just let me know if you want lunch of something later."

"Thanks Rosmerta," Kat smiled before looking over at the two beds across the room, "You know, I adore that woman..."

"I adore the fact that you have her wrapped around your little finger," Ginny said as she pushed up from the table and walked over to one of the beds, proceeding to collapse down on top of it.

"That is true," Kat chuckled before changing into a nightgown with a flick of her wrist, "Something to sleep in?" she asked as she pulled the top blanket down to the bottom of the bed.

"Yes please," mumbled Ginny, who was already half way to dreamland.

"Night Ginger," Kat chuckled as she cast the charm to change Ginny's clothes before casting another charm to make the window dark and cast the room in shadows then climbed on top of the sheets to curl around her own pillow.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Monday October 20th, 1997  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Great Hall  
Gryffindor Table  
8:31 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Dearest Ginger,_

_Well it's Monday morning, God willing you at least are still sleeping... it's just after four and can I just say I want to strangle my Mother? I swear..._

_My Fiancé is coming today to have lunch with me so we can get to know one another, and I was up late keeping an eye on Roses' new foal, a boy, and I still simply can't get over how tiny their wings are when first born. But he did come early so I've been keeping an eye on him. I'm thinking of keeping this one... but I digress. Mother decided that I had to be perfect for lunch and woke me up half an hour ago so we could spend all morning making me look more presentable than I am so my fiancé doesn't realize he's actually marrying below him, since Daddy is so excited about this match._

_I've been given half an hour to eat so I thought I'd write and complain but also say good morning._

_Oh for the love of Merlin, I have to run, I hear Mother coming, and Aíne is already making comments so I have to get her put away. Last thing I need is Mother hearing my bird calling her the names I call her behind her back... That would just make this day oh so better... NOT!_

_Have a wonderful day! And eat chocolate for me!_

_Love,_

_Kat_

Ginny couldn't keep the smile from her face as she read her friend's words. Shaking her head, she started to put the letter back in its envelope when a hoot caught her attention. Looking up she was surprised to see a beautiful eagle owl sitting in front of her, a package attached to its leg.

"For me?" Ginny asked the owl, receiving a hoot in reply so she reached over and untied the package from its leg. She was surprised to find that there was no note accompanying the package. With a shrug, she started unwrapping the package, revealing a velvet-covered box. "What in the world?" she mumbled curiously as she opened the box, gasping in shock when she took in its contents. Nestled safely in the box was a beautiful ruby necklace in delicate gold filigree. The ruby pendent itself was about five karats in size. Along with the necklace was a pair of matching ruby drop earrings, each about one karat in size.

After staring at the jewellery for a few minutes, Ginny quickly snapped the box closed and hastily wrapped it back in the original wrapping and tied it to the owl's leg, which had remained sitting on the table in front of her. "Please return that to whoever sent it," she instructed the owl quietly before sending it on its way.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked from next to her, she had been watching and seen the gift but remained quiet, "Everything okay?" she continued quietly, the boys deep in a discussion about the upcoming match.

"Everything's fine Mione," Ginny replied, keeping her eyes focused on the plate in front of her as she played with her breakfast.

"Okay..." Hermione nodded slowly, "Well, I'm here you ever want to talk, without them around," she nodded towards the two boys. "But how's your friend doing? I'm guessing that was your daily letter from her?" she asked with a smile. "You're lucky; I've always wanted a pen pal to write to."

"Thanks Mione, but it was nothing really," Ginny tried to reassure, not sure if it was Hermione or herself she was trying to reassure. "Kat's annoyed with her mother for getting her up at 4:30 this morning after she only just got to bed shortly before that."

"Gods, I don't blame her!" Hermione shuddered. "Poor thing..."

"Listen Mione, I don't mean to be rude or anything but I better run. I have potions first thing and I don't want to upset Professor Snape any more than necessary," Ginny said rising from her seat.

"Not at all, see you later Ginny, and good luck with Snape."

"Thanks," Ginny said before making her way out of the Great Hall and down towards the dungeons. Having arrived fairly early for her class she sat down in the corridor outside the classroom and pulled out a parchment and quill and set about writing her friend.

_Kat,_

_Sorry to hear about your mother this morning. Gods, what a pain in the arse she is. And don't listen to her. Whoever this man is that your father thinks is good enough for you should be thanking whatever Gods he worships to get a girl like you. I wish I could be so lucky._

_How is the little guy doing? Have you decided on a name yet? You are so lucky to be out of school. I can't wait to get out of Hogwarts because then I can leave England and my family behind. _

_Something weird happened this morning Kat. Another owl showed up with yours only this one had a package attached to its leg. It didn't have anyone's name on it but when I asked the owl if it was for me, it hooted at me. Oh Gods Kat, when I opened it…it had the most beautiful ruby necklace and earrings inside of it. There was no note or anything to tell me who sent it. I knew I couldn't possibly keep it as there would be too many questions so I sent it back. Did I do the right thing? Should I have kept it? What if I had kept it and it was a trap? Please tell me I did the right thing._

_Ginger_

Hearing other students making their way towards where Ginny was sitting, she quickly folded up the letter, stuffed everything into her bag and rose to her feet, dusting herself off. Seconds after she stood up, Severus showed up in the hall and opened the door to the classroom, ordering everyone inside.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Tuesday October 21st, 1997  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Great Hall  
Gryffindor Table  
8:27 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Dearest Ginger,_

_Thanks, things were interesting yesterday to say the least. Although lunch was the highlight of the day... I'll admit one thing my fiancé is quite good looking. And he actually went riding with me (got me away from Mother's watchful eye thank Merlin, I suppose it might not be as bad as I had feared... now to get over my anger with him for a few stupid things he did when I was younger... but that isn't important._

_Hmm interesting gift there, on one hand I agree it might have been wise to send back, on the other... it sounds absolutely gorgeous! It could have been for the wrong person. But on the other hand, it could have been for you; perhaps you have a secret admirer._

_I have to run; I have practice in twenty minutes. And Madame Josephine is not a woman that you want to cross._

_Talk to you later_

_Kat_

Looking up from her letter, Ginny groaned when she noticed the same eagle owl from the day before once more sitting, waiting patiently in front of her breakfast plate, a long thin package attached to its leg. Without a word, Ginny reached out and relieved the owl of its package, feeding it a piece of her bacon in the process. As she removed the wrapping, Ginny again found a velvet covered box hidden within. Opening it she was surprised to find a heart shaped sapphire in a white gold setting on a white and yellow gold alternating link chain. It took Ginny a few minutes to snap back to reality after opening the box and to quickly wrap the box back in its packaging and send it off with the owl, much to its annoyance.

Before anyone could say anything Ginny made her way out of the Great Hall and up to Gryffindor Tower, thankful she had a free period first thing this morning so she could lock herself behind her bed curtains and write a letter to her friend.

_Kat,_

_Glad to hear your lunch went better than planned. He's good looking huh? Lucky you. Knowing my luck I'll get stuck with some troll for a husband since no self-respecting wizard will even look at me now that everyone thinks there is something wrong with me if Harry dumped me._

_But onto other things. Kat, it happened again! I got another gift. This one was a gold and sapphire necklace. I have no idea who in the world could possibly be sending me these gifts or why they would send them to me in the first place. I returned it again. _

_Hope practice went well for you. Talk to you soon._

_Ginger._

Once her letter was written, Ginny made her way to the owlry to send it off before making her way to the library to finish her homework before her first class of the day.

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
October 22nd, 1997  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Ginger girl,_

_Well it sounds to me like you do have a secret admirer, and one that must really like you to be sending such lovely gifts. Would it hurt to keep some? Or you could try sending a note back with the owl asking him (I'm assuming it's a him, though I suppose it could be a her) about himself. You never know right?_

_And hey! He could be quite good looking, you never know! Honestly I never considered my fiancé good-looking until recently... but that's a whole other story altogether._

_Oh, I saw your brothers the other day, I was in Diagon Alley doing some shopping, Daddy's going to flip I bought some of their fireworks for Halloween. They talked me into some sort of dragon... I'm so going to have it chase after my brother when he comes home for the night from school. Oh! That reminds me, I need your advice, I can't decide what I should wear for Halloween, I have it down to two options, either a Fairy (complete with wings), or a Japanese Geisha._

_Ugh, have to run; I'm due at the stables ten minutes ago to meet my trainer. I swear I have far too much going on so early in the morning I need to start scheduling things later in the day._

_Love,_

_Kat_

:-:-:-:-:-:

_Hey Kat,_

_Why would anyone in their right minds want to be my secret admirer? I'm no diamond in the rough here. Yes I straightened my hair and let it grow out a bit and it has seemed to have darkened over the past year but other than that, it's long and flat and doesn't exactly do much to help my appearance. My skin is covered in these horrible freckles and my eyes are not that pretty a shade of blue. I'm not exactly the most stunningly beautiful girl out there._

_How are my insane brothers doing? Hogwarts isn't nearly as fun without them. They always seemed to find time to spend with me, especially after that time in the DA when I made the robot thing disintegrate with a simple reducto. The dragon is amazing, or so I've heard. I wasn't actually present when they set it off here at the school as I wasn't taking my O.W.L.s at the time._

_As for Halloween, go with the Geisha, it's more exotic than the fairy. _

_Kat it happened again! I got more jewellery from the same bloody owl this morning. Why does this person keep sending me this stuff? This time it was a simple gold chain with five floating diamonds and diamond stud earrings. Granted everything has been beautiful and the gods know I want to keep them, but how can I? _

_I gotta run or I'll be late for DADA._

_Talk to you soon_

_Love_

_Ginger_

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
October 25th, 1997  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Ginger,_

_Sorry I haven't written for a few days, things have been crazy, Mother is hell bent on everything being perfect for Halloween and I had to hop over to America, one of my girls I've sold in the past went into labour and the owner promptly had a complete meltdown (first foal) so she wrote in a panic. Didn't get any sleep for two days it was horrid but the foal arrived safe and sound and I found a wonderful veterinary wizard in the area who specializes in large animals, winged horses especially, so in the future hopefully I wont be getting letters at two in the morning begging for help. I'm actually hoping she doesn't breed the mare again to be honest... but I don't exactly get a say in this, after all she owns the horse now._

_Your brothers are doing good, wonderfully funny fellows, aren't they? We were discussing the differences between Wizarding schools when they found out I should have been the same year as your brother Charlie but I went to Beauxbatons instead. Oh I heard about what they did with the dragon at school and all that, sounds wonderfully fantastic you ask me. We never had anything quite so exciting at school... Course Daddy might have had a heart attack if we did, he sent me to Beauxbatons to avoid all the craziness that happens at Hogwarts and such, well that and I wanted to go because of the Dance program and Madame Maxime has the riding program too of course so..._

_I'm so rambling aren't I? Drives Mother crazy when I do, Daddy just laughs and shakes his head at me. Anyway, I'll send pictures of the dragon so you can see and of me in all my Geisha loveliness._

_Now, as for the other thing, do I need to bang you over the top of your head? You are entirely lovely! Alright so perhaps you think you're not, but I say you are. And if you want I could give you a new hairstyle or something, show you how lovely you are in the eyes of others, but you certainly don't need a makeover. As for your eyes, they remind me of my Grandmother's her's were stormier than yours though. I got my Great-Grandmother's (Grandmother's mother) eyes instead._

_As for the presents, well why can't you? I highly doubt your admirer would take it to mean you are giving into his advances, God knows the few admirers I had in the past never took it personal when I kept the occasional gift and nothing happened in the long run._

_But I better let you go, write and tell me what you decide okay?_

_Talk to you soon_

_Love,_

_Kat_

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
October 27th, 1997  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Hey Kat,_

_Sorry I didn't respond right away to your last letter but Harry decided that even though Slytherin hasn't won a match against Gryffindor for the past six years he was not going to take any chances and had the team running drills for the entire day on Saturday. When he finally decided to call it quits it was well past dinner (we'd been practicing since just after breakfast and if it hadn't been for Dobby bringing us lunch, we wouldn't have even gotten any food since we missed dinner). By the time we got back to the Tower it was quite late and I had a ton of homework to do since the match was the next day and Harry had kept us out on the pitch all day and I didn't have time to run to the kitchens for any food. And forget about sleep. I'm lucky if I may have gotten, at the most, an hour's sleep before my alarm woke me up and as you know I have a hard enough time eating breakfast under normal circumstances (Thank you Ron!) but add the lack of sleep and the upcoming match and I couldn't get anything down._

_I'm sure you're wondering about the match itself. Well Gryffindor won, as usual, but not by the normal point spread we usually have. We won by ten points because Harry managed to catch the snitch. I know you're probably sitting there thinking 'of course he did, why wouldn't he', but from what I've been told Harry only caught the snitch because Malfoy suddenly stopped chasing it at the last second when he practically had it within his grasp. You're probably wondering why in the world anyone in their right mind would give up the snitch and ultimately the game when they are that close to winning. _

_Well this is where things get weird and everything I know about what happened I learned from the Gryffindor team (minus Harry and Ron, which I'll get to in a minute but the team's pretty upset with them) Hermione and Professor McGonagall. Apparently Malfoy gave up the snitch and the game…to save me. I don't remember much about what happened. Actually much of the game is fuzzy, probably from the lack of sleep and next to no food in my system but what I do remember is that I was making a run at the Slytherin hoops with the Quaffle. I remember throwing the Quaffle towards the centre hoop and then searing pain in my shoulder and back and then nothing. Everything goes black after that. Apparently Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy's goon bodyguards, thought it would be fun to launch both Bludgers at me at the same time and from behind. One hit me in the back, breaking all my ribs on the right side causing some of them to puncture my lung while the other hit me in the right shoulder, smashing it and my collarbone. When I blacked out I fell from my broom and if it hadn't been for Malfoy's quick thinking, the fall would have killed me. _

_The team, Hermione and Professor McGonagall are mad at Harry for deciding that catching the snitch and winning the game were more important than saving my life and they're mad at Ron for saying that I was being overly dramatic about being hit by a Bludger, the fall wouldn't have killed me like everyone says and that Harry made the right choice by going after the snitch, not me._

_I'm actually writing this from my bed in the Hospital Wing by the way. Even though she managed to fix everything, Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep an eye on me today just to be safe._

_And you'll be happy to know that my secret admirer as you like to call him has struck again and again and again and again and again. Thursday a set of blue pearls arrived, which I returned even though they were amazing to look at. Friday an aquamarine and gold necklace arrived, which was again promptly returned, much to the owl's annoyance. Saturday saw the arrival of a beautiful platinum and peridot bracelet, which shock of shocks I did actually keep. I've always wanted a piece of jewellery with at least one peridot in it as it is my birth stone after all, but Mum would never hear of it, saying it was a frivolous waste of money. Sunday brought with it not only the match but also a topaz ring, which I returned. This morning the owl brought probably the simplest gift yet and it was something that I couldn't help but keep. It was a simple gold chain with a lion charm on it. I think the eye of the lion is a small ruby but I'm not sure. For the first time there was a note included with the necklace. It simply said "For a brave little lion". There was no signature though so this mystery person is still that, a mystery._

_You're lucky you went to Beauxbatons. I actually got invited to attend Durmstrang but my parents were adamant about how all Weasleys have always attended Hogwarts and no daughter of theirs was going to go to an evil school like Durmstrang that graduates nothing but dark witches and wizards._

_And you are never going to change my opinion of my appearance. I was never that happy with it growing up but after spending the entire summer having to listen to my mother go on and on about how I'm not even pretty enough to hold onto a guy who was perfect for me and was practically gift wrapped and placed in my lap, it's a little hard to think otherwise._

_I should probably finish this now; Madam Pomfrey just stuck her head out of her office to see if I was sleeping like she told me to._

_Hope to hear from you soon,_

_Love,_

_Ginger._

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Tuesday October 28th, 1997  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Great Hall  
Gryffindor Table  
8:45 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

Morning found Ginny released from the Hospital Wing, and when she actually made it down to the Great Hall it was some time before she was able to actually sit and breathe, and even more pay attention to the two owls waiting for it. Both she recognized immediately, but she reached for the owl from her 'secret admirer' first, finding a small box that held a heart shaped charm with a small peridot in the centre, and it took a moment before she realized it was a locket.

Smiling she gave the owl a piece of her bacon before letting it go, deciding to keep this one as well and add it to the bracelet, then turned her attention to the other owl, Kat's. Taking the letter and a small box that came with it, she gave the owl a treat as well before it flew off, and then turned her attention to the letter.

_Oh My Gods!_

_Ginger, you have no idea the heart attack I had when I read that you got hit by two Bludgers, I tell you I am going to hunt down those two idiots and strangle them… How Draco puts up with them I'll never understand… But oh my Gods thank Merlin you're okay. Are you still in the Hospital Wing? Or have you been released… what's going on? Ugh I am so going on a nice long ride this morning I need something to distract me from worrying about you, I just about apparated over there to try and see you but knew the ruckus that would raise and didn't want to put you through that so…_

_Okay, okay, I'm better, I'm breathing, that's a good thing right? Well I've decided to spoil you, although I already had this planned before getting your letter. As you probably know by now there is a box with this letter that Starling brought. You'll have to unshrink it, but inside is a couple of things. I heard that they're having a Halloween Ball at school on Friday, not a major one but still. And I thought you simply had to go because come on, how often do you guys have these lovely fun balls. And since we can't be together I thought at least we could be 'sisters' so… you're very evil best friend who just happens to be the same size as you (even if you seem determined to make me think you grew taller than me you little witch) had fun. Inside the box you'll find a complete geisha costume, and on a piece of parchment is the spells necessary to turn your hair black and put it up in the hairstyle that goes with it, it will even place the various hair combs and such in place, as well as another spell that will do your makeup. Now of course you don't have to wear it but I thought you might enjoy a chance to go out and look prettier than you seem to think you are (still say you're perfectly fine as you are but I won't argue) and likely no one will even recognize you what with black hair and completely covered in the traditional white make-up of the Geisha and such._

_Included too is a comb that I saw and had to get you, it doesn't go with the costume, it's simply yours to have, I saw it in China when I was there over the summer and was saving it for Christmas but I figure I am perfectly within my right to give you a gift whenever I want to so… it's coming now._

_In regards to the gifts from your admirer… Okay, I am so becoming jealous you're getting what sounds like such gorgeous gifts… (so you know I'm really not, but still). It's nice to hear you are keeping some; you deserve to be spoiled by someone besides me once in a while. And I completely understand your wanting a peridot, but the blue pearls, did you really like them? Cause you know you just might end up with a set from another source… Daddy got me a set when I was sixteen and I adore mine so I'd love to be able to share the wealth so to speak. And stop smiling! (Kidding, kidding). The Charm Bracelet sounds lovely I can't wait to see it and the bracelet both. When is the next Hogsmeade weekend anyway?_

_I want to talk more but I have to run, I'm meeting Daddy for lunch and I'm going to try and talk him into getting me a ferret for Christmas. My brother simply hates them so it's even more incentive (yes, I'm laughing manically as you put it so often) but they're also cute. I know, I know, I'm crazy. But you love me anyway._

_Probably won't write until after Halloween, Mother's going absolutely crazy with last minute plans for the Ball she's throwing, especially since my fiancé is coming now and everything has to be just perfect. I swear, I think she's up to something she hasn't been all that nasty to me the last few days, quite odd if you ask me._

_Talk to you soon_

_Love,_

_Kat_

:-:-:-:-;

_Kat,_

_Thanks for the costume but I don't think I'll be going to the ball at all. Not a single person has asked me and I don't think I want to go on my own, even though as your letter said, no one would probably recognize me but I'd feel really uncomfortable._

_I didn't mean to scare you. Hell, I didn't even know it was going to happen. I did see Crabbe and Goyle swing around behind me but my mind was so slow that morning as were my reflexes and I know this is going to sound strange coming from me, but I'm grateful that Malfoy's reflexes were as sharp as they were. Harry came to see me last night, yes I'm out of the hospital wing now, to tell me that he didn't see the bludgers hit me or see me fall, all he saw was Malfoy deek out from in front of him. A part of me believes Harry but another part still questions his actions, I know I shouldn't but I do._

_My secret admirer has struck again this morning. I got a heart shaped charm with a peridot in the centre. It's to go with the bracelet from the other day._

_In answer to your question, I loved the pearls; I just couldn't bring myself to keep them. Actually I almost sent the peridot bracelet back. I don't know why I didn't…_

_I should go; I have to get to class._

_Love,_

_Ginger._

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
October 29th, 1997  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Dear Ginevra,_

_I know, I know, you're probably wondering who the bloody hell is writing you calling you by your first name and has an Eagle Owl that knows you. First, this is Draco... Good Gods, that sounds weird writing, and no, don't suddenly turn and look for me or anything!_

_Yes, I'm psychic... No, of course I'm not, but it would be a pretty obvious thing to do wouldn't it. And yes as you probably imagine I'm smirking._

_Now I know this is a bit... close to the wire as they might say, but I would like to ask you to be my date for the Halloween Ball. No, this isn't some sort of prank to make fun of you. Yes, this really is Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince and all, and no I'm not under some sort of spell._

_Simply put, I feel absolutely horrid for what Goyle and Crabbe did, if I hadn't seen... and yes I do indeed have a heart as you are probably quickly figuring out. There's a whole side of me that you don't know actually, believe it or not, I happen to be a nice guy, or so my best friend claims (and no my best friend isn't another Slytherin so she's not biased and yes it's a girl, but no we aren't involved so again she's not biased.) But I will deny that fact to my grave if it gets around to anyone at school outside the Slytherin House._

_Now then, I'm asking in part because I feel horrid and partially responsible for the dolts' actions. But it's not simply that, to be honest I've noticed the way most people have been treating you since everything ended with Potter and that article by that horrid Skeeter woman came out. Quite frankly, I think you're a bloody genius for ending things with him, and I also know he didn't leave you for Granger because he'd be a fool, contrary to aforementioned article. And it seems to me that you could use a night out so to speak, a night to be able to have fun without people making comments or some such._

_So, I would like to ask you to be my date. I'm sure we can come up with some sort of costume theme that could prevent people from knowing that you are indeed Ginny Weasley if you like, to be honest I have absolutely no plans at the moment costume wise so I'm open to most anything, just please, no making me wear Red or Gold especially, I'm afraid I might become quite ill if you did. Believe it or not I'm not opposed to Blues for example, there's just a whole issue thing with Red and Gold, that and I look absolutely horrid in Red, my best friend says it makes me look like some sort of very odd tomato... how exactly that is, I do not know but again, to disagree with her is taking my life into my own hands so I typically don't._

_I won't be expecting anything from you, well except perhaps we could talk like civilized people...wouldn't that make an interesting evening? I would also, if you want, be happy to have my costume disguise my identity so there's no chance of everyone going "Who's with Malfoy?" and being determined to figure it out until they do. No dancing, no physical contact of any sort (well except I would insist on escorting you in proper like because that was simply how I was brought up). It would simply be a night that you could have fun hopefully and enjoy yourself._

_And I would be more than willing to consider it as payment for a certain life-debt you now seem to find yourself in, though let me assure you, I may be a right bastard much of the time, I have no intention of using that to my advantage in any untoward fashion. Besides, I know full well you aren't afraid to perform a bat-bogey hex on me, and that is one of the two things I would rather not repeat in this life thank you (I'm sure you can figure out the other if you think about it...)_

_So yes, now that I believe I have proceeded to explain my intentions in a great number of ways, I would ask that you consider my invitation and please let me know by day's end so that we can figure out costumes if you decide to accompany me. And if you have any requests as part of your decision to "be my date", please feel free to write and make them, I'm certain we can figure something out._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Draco Malfoy_

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
November 1st, 1997  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Kat,_

_Okay, what the hell is going on in the world these days? First off, I have some strange and mysterious person sending me expensive jewellery (yes, I've gotten four more gifts which I'll tell you about in a moment) but I now have Draco Malfoy of all people (yes, I used his given name) showing me that he really is a half decent guy. _

_It's a good thing you sent me that costume. Not a day later I got a letter from Draco Malfoy himself asking me to accompany him to the Halloween Ball. He even offered to make sure his costume completely hid his identity so that people wouldn't be able to figure out that I was his date so that I could, for once, just enjoy myself instead of having to deal with the comments and looks. Believe it or not I actually had a really good time. I got to see a completely different side to a guy who has shown me nothing other than hatred before this. _

_It was also nice to be unrecognizable to the rest of the school. Course we made quite the entrance, me in my geisha outfit and Draco in his samurai outfit. I nearly fell over in shock when I met him in the Entrance Hall and instead of his usual collar length slicked back platinum blond hair, his hair was in a long, waist-length braid down his back and the deepest black I've ever seen. I got quite a few compliments on my kimono by the way. Everyone wanted to know where I managed to get such an authentic Japanese kimono in Hogsmeade and how much I paid for it. Draco was kind enough to deflect most of the questions for me so my voice wouldn't give my identity away. We spent most of the evening sitting talking in the corner. It was nice to be able to laugh and just be me for an evening. We talked a lot about Quidditch, the one main thing we have in common, other than our classes of course. He apologized profusely for the actions of Crabbe and Goyle and even he was surprised that Harry didn't come after me. He doesn't believe what Harry told me about why he (Harry) didn't come after me. All and all I really enjoyed myself, more than I thought possible._

_Onto the topic of my secret admirer. I've gotten four more gifts since my last letter. My secret admirer sent me another charm for my bracelet, a little platinum broom, which I kept of course. That was the first one since my last letter. The next was a rather beautiful diamond tiara. There was no way I could possibly keep that so I returned it. The third was a little surprising actually. It was a platinum claddagh ring. This one came with a note explaining the way this type of ring is worn. If your heart is spoken for you wear it on your middle finger with the heart pointing towards your heart (towards your wrist). If your heart is not spoken for then you wear the ring with the heart pointed outwards (towards your nails). I did actually keep the fourth gift as well. It was a single diamond solitaire (quite a few karats if you ask me) on a simple gold chain. I'm hesitant to keep any more though as I don't exactly have anywhere to keep all this jewellery that keeps arriving and nowhere to wear it either. _

_Hope you enjoyed your Halloween Ball with your fiancé and your mother didn't drive you too insane._

_Love_

_Ginger._


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Tuesday November 4th, 1997  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Great Hall  
Gryffindor Table  
8:05 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Oh my God!" Hermione's gasp drew Ginny's attention from where she had been taking the letter from Kat's owl, her first since the last one before Halloween, as well as the package from the owl that belonged to her Secret Admirer.

"What is it?" Harry asked as he turned from his discussion with Ron.

"I know where Malfoy's been... but why he came back this morning..." Hermione looked up from the Daily Prophet.

"He's back?" Ron turned to look across the room, "Oh yeah the prat is, why didn't you say something when we met to come down for breakfast?"

"He got in late last night," she shrugged.

"Does it matter?" Ginny rolled her eyes, "What are you talking about Mione?"

"Narcissa Malfoy died," Hermione answered as she laid the paper down; on the front was a picture of the woman in question.

"What?" demanded Ginny in shock as she pulled the paper towards her, looking down at the image of the woman sneering up at them, before looking up and over towards where Draco was sitting next to Blaise Zabini at the Slytherin Table.

"How'd she die?" Harry asked curiously. "Did it say?"

"Killing Curse," Hermione answered quietly. "Lucius Malfoy had reported that she disappeared three days ago and she was found late last night. The Malfoys aren't being charged with anything, they tested Lucius' wand and found out that it wasn't him that cast the curse or something. Says she's survived by her husband and children..." she continued quietly so others wouldn't hear, though it was obvious by now many others had noticed the article.

"Children?" Ron stared, mouth falling open, "You mean there's more than just Ferret face? How the hell did we never hear about another Malfoy spawn?"

"Ron," Harry shot him a look, "Be nice, I may not like Malfoy all that much but his mother did just die."

"Yeah, and probably thanks to You-Know-Who, who got pissed that one of his Death Eater whores wouldn't put out or something," he muttered. "You think it's a boy or girl? Must be a boy, can't imagine what a girl would look like... must be ages younger since the kid's not around, and wasn't running around when Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred or George were here before we came..."

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed at him.

"Ron!" snarled Ginny.

"What?" he looked over at her surprised.

"Show some respect for once in your life," Ginny growled in response.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, it's _Malfoy_."

"Ron, shut up," Harry snapped. "He's lost his mum for God's sake. And don't you dare say another word," he growled when Ron opened his mouth.

"Thank you Harry," Ginny said quietly.

He glanced at her and nodded, "Welcome Gin," he smiled slightly before sighing, "I got to go finish that assignment for Snape, come on Ron I know you didn't get yours done either and probably be best if you aren't near Draco more than necessary. I doubt anyone would take points if he hits you for something stupid you said today especially."

"But..."

"Shut up mate," Harry rolled his eyes as he rose, bending down to kiss the top of Hermione's head before turning to leave, Ron following after him with a bewildered look.

"Did you get a letter from Kat?" Hermione asked softly once they were gone, nodding towards the two owls.

"I did, but your news about Mrs. Malfoy kind of distracted me and I haven't read it yet," Ginny said.

"Well, hope it's a happy letter, we all need distraction from that," she nodded towards the cover of the paper before sighing and opening it to see what else was in there.

"Me too," Ginny said looking over towards Draco briefly before turning her attention to her friend's letter.

_Dearest Ginger,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written it's been… well insane would be a good way of putting it. Truth is I'm still in bed now, Daddy's insisting I stay in bed for the next few days after everything. I'll explain that in a few minutes though._

_I'm glad that you had a wonderful Halloween Ball, I actually know Draco, and he is a nice guy. Sounds like you had a simply lovely evening and I'm demanding a picture if you know of any that happen to have been taken (I'll send you a picture of me in all my Geisha-glory when I find one…). As for seeing a new side of Draco… truth is sounds like you got to know the real Draco. His family is wealthy, there are expectations, same as you know to be true about me and my family._

_And I'll be honest I can't help but think that while perhaps Harry wasn't lying about why he didn't come, he was a bit too focused on that bloody Snitch if he missed it. I don't think he did it on purpose or that he necessary saw and didn't care… just that it proves that people shouldn't be so into the game that they miss something as major as that you know? But then again that could just be me standing here as a non-Quidditch fanatic who's always thought people were too obsessed with the game, I mean sure it's fun, even I've played once in a blue moon, but I don't get the insanity that seems to surround it… Give me riding any day, we get obsessed to be true, but at least no one can get killed except for the rare occasion, even the competitions in the Winged Horse circuit aren't all that dangerous because it's near impossible to fall off, that and if you have a well trained horse, if you somehow manage to fall off they usually abandon the course and come after you… Brooms don't exactly do that… _

_Gifts, oooh still jealous, and hey it's nice that you're keeping things, you deserve pretties. Did you keep the Claddagh ring? I'm a bit confused there… my Great-Grandmother had one, it's tradition in a way in our family, as you know many of the marriages in my family's history have been arranged, I can't tell you for sure who started it at the top of my head but ages ago on Daddy's side, my whatever it is Great-Grandfather fell in love with his wife and got her one as an anniversary gift. She never said she loved him or anything really when she opened it, actually didn't wear it for some time then one day she showed up at breakfast with it on her hand, pointed towards her heart. Ever since then if the male happens to fall in love with his wife, he gives her the ring and waits with heart in hand until they wear it. My Great-Grandfather gave my Great-Grandmother one on their first anniversary and it took about a year for her to start wearing it. My Grandparents were never a love match, nor honestly were Daddy and Mother so it hasn't been done in some time, but I know my Great-Grandmother has hope for my brother and I… I've been talking more and more to her portrait since learning of my engagement and she keeps telling me not to be afraid to be the one to give the ring, who knows right?_

_Anyway, I went off topic didn't I? As for your gifts, don't be afraid to keep them, and don't be surprised if you get a gift for Christmas that helps with the where to keep them problem. Speaking of which, I'm not trying to influence your decision about Christmas but I realized something I completely forgot, another reason for you to come, my birthday! Daddy's letting me do whatever I want for my birthday this year, and I wanted to go to Paris for the day and have a shopping spree and was hoping to take you with me (hint hint) and part of my gift being I get to spoil my best friend! That and I completely need your help in planning my wedding now, and Daddy is plotting spoiling me like mad and giving me anything I want (even more than normal). Which brings me to the Halloween Ball and everything…_

_The Ball was actually going pretty good for a while, then things went kind of all to hell._

_My Mother finally revealed her true colours… trust me, you won't believe this. She tried to poison me. Actually, let me rephrase that, she DID poison me. Fortunately I have no tolerance for any sort of poison (how does one gain a tolerance to poison anyway?) and after a small drink of the drink she had poisoned I promptly collapsed in my poor fiancé's arms. I don't remember anything beyond seeing his face before blacking out, and waking up in the wee hours of yesterday morning to find out what happened. He and Daddy quickly figured out what was going on, my brother's boyfriend is a genius at potions and poisons (he's actually been taught by Papa Taliesin thankfully) and Papa Taliesin as well happened to just arrive from a prior commitment at the same time. They were able to figure out the poison and find the antidote; unfortunately (well not so much really), my idiot Mother drank some of the poison as well… But as you can imagine they weren't as concerned with her health as mine so…my Mother has not so sadly passed from this life._

_I know, it all sounds so insane. Poor Daddy is in so much shock. Before she died she revealed that the reason she went into labour early with me was because she was trying to lose the baby and he's pretty much not left my side much since then. Who knew, I mean I always knew Mother didn't like me but honestly to not just try to kill me once but twice? She was out of her bloody everlasting mind._

_I know I've completely left you in shock most likely and everything but I have to go, I hear my Aunt coming and if I want to get this off… for the most part my family's not leaving me alone for long, I think they're still afraid they're going to blink and I'll be gone. My brother was refusing to leave the room until yesterday when I ordered him to because I was fine and he had things that needed to be done, ended up calling his boyfriend to drag him from here in the end… Although it was fun while I was awake and we were together, was like when we were little again…_

_Okay, really honestly I'm going to stop before she gets here._

_Talk to you soon_

_Love,_

_Kat_

"Bloody hell," Ginny cursed quietly when she was done reading her friend's letter.

"Gin?" Hermione looked over at her, "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Kat's mother died the other day," replied Ginny.

"Good God!" Hermione stared at her in shock. "I have the sudden urge to write my mum..." she shuddered lightly, "I'm so sorry Gin."

"I'm more concerned about Kat actually. Her mother tried to kill her at her family's Halloween ball."

Hermione promptly dropped her fork and just stared at Ginny, "Tell me I heard you wrong..."

"Unfortunately not. Here read this section here," Ginny said showing Hermione which section of the letter to read.

"Good God, what kind of person tries to kill their child, not once but twice..." Hermione whispered after she read.

"I have no idea," Ginny sighed. "I'm just glad she's okay."

"Me too," Hermione agreed softly.

"Thank god her fiancé was there."

"She's engaged? Oh wait, did you mention that before? I'm afraid my brain has rather stopped working after everything... And is the other one from her too?"

"It's an arranged marriage that her father approved of only recently. Apparently he's been a friend of the family for years," Ginny explained. "Unfortunately, it's not," she sighed as she turned her attention to the other owl, hesitating slightly when she noticed the package it brought was quite a bit bigger than all the others she had received. /-/This can't be good/-/ she thought to herself.

"Do you know who it's from?" she asked concerned.

"If I told you Kat believed it was a secret admirer would you believe me?"

Hermione smiled, "I think it's sweet."

"Hermione if you saw some of the stuff they've sent so far…my family wouldn't have to pinch pennies anymore if my mother got a hold of them," Ginny sighed. "I've sent most of the gifts back actually."

"Why did you send it back? I mean, yes, for all we know it could be not the safest person in the world to encourage but if nothing else has happened..."

"Mione, the jewels he was sending would feed my entire family for an entire year. How could I possibly accept something like that?"

"Because he thinks that you deserve it, and you do," Hermione pointed out.

"And how would I explain it all to Mum when I go home? Promise me you won't say anything about this? If Mum and Dad hear about this they're going to freak and think it's the Chamber of Secrets all over again," pleaded Ginny.

"Breathe Gin," Hermione ordered lightly, "I promise I won't say anything to anyone, except Harry if you're okay with it, though I kind of hope you are, I hate keeping things from him. I'll only say something otherwise if I think you're in danger okay? But promise to let me know if things start to get weird, okay?"

"I promise. Just tell Harry that I don't want this spread around and I really really _really_ don't want Ron to know about this," Ginny said.

"I promise, besides we both know Ron, as much as I love him as one of my oldest and dearest friends, he would tell your mum in a heartbeat and I think she's been a right pain about everything with Harry, you and I..." Hermione rolled her eyes. "If this person," she nodded towards the box, "Really knows what a great girl you are Gin, I'd say don't be afraid to give it a shot. You deserve happiness too, you know."

"I know," Ginny sighed as she turned her attention back to the owl still sitting patiently on the table. Reaching over Ginny relieved it of its package and opened the box before her. "Sweet Merlin help me," she groaned as she closed the box and dropped her head down on top of it.

"What is it?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Here," Ginny said sliding the box over.

Raising an eyebrow, Hermione pulled the lid up and peeked in before shutting it and looking back at Ginny, "Well... that's one that so requires further inspection, in my rooms I'm thinking..." she smiled.

"Please," Ginny said taking the box back from Hermione before turning her attention to the owl still seated on the table. "Come on you, I haven't decided yet if I'm keeping it or not," she said sticking her arm out indicating to the owl it should hop on.

"I'll take it if you don't..." Hermione offered, "For a few years from now when I get married," she continued quickly.

"My guess is, and I don't mean to offend you or anything, but I'm guessing that somehow this is going to be too small for you," Ginny said as they made their way from the Great Hall.

"True and no offence taken," Hermione smiled. "But hey, things work out with your mystery man I'm insisting you get pointers so you can show me these wonderful places for said wedding some day."

"I would actually have to get married for that," Ginny sighed.

"Gin, how would you having to get married affect you being able to help me hunt for my wedding?" Hermione frowned confused. "And even then, you're so getting married some day, if I have to make Harry make a statement that you broke up with him when you found out he was bi or some such thing to get the whole male population of the world to stop avoiding you for totally stupid reasons."

"Doubt it would help Mione," countered Ginny. "I've accepted that I'll never get married since probably the only person who would ever want me is some blind Death Eater that Tom has taken pity on and hasn't killed yet," she said as they stopped outside the Head Girl and Boy's quarters.

"Ginny don't be stupid," Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're prettier than ninety-five percent of the girls here, and the remaining five is just because I swear some of them use beauty enhancing charms. You're going to find some guy that recognizes the gem he's getting in you and get down and thank the Gods every day for you, and if he doesn't I'll be glad to tell him exactly how lucky he is to have you."

"Have you been talking to Kat recently?" questioned Ginny as she followed Hermione into her shared common room. "Cause you're starting to sound an awful lot like her."

"Gin, how would I be talking to Kat?" Hermione glanced at her, "And maybe we sound the same because it's _true_?"

"If you say so," Ginny mumbled. "Can we just get this over with so I can decide if I should keep it and encourage this strange gift giving person on or send it back in the hopes he gets the message?"

"Sure Gin," Hermione smiled as they made their way towards her room.

"Give me two minutes," Ginny said as she made her way into her friend's closet to change, allowing the owl to settle itself on Hermione's desk. Ginny emerged from the closet a few minutes later wearing a simple red silk nightgown that hung to her ankles. It had a split up one side of the leg to mid thigh, the top in a rather deep v-neck with spaghetti straps, the silk only just covering her breasts. Over top of the nightgown she wore a matching silk dressing gown that was just hanging from her shoulders, the sash hanging down the sides undone. She had forgotten that she had been wearing the diamond solitaire necklace that she had received a few days earlier and hadn't noticed that the nightgown left it plainly visible on her chest. "Well? Keep or return?"

"I vote for keep it," Hermione smiled, "Is the necklace from him too? It's gorgeous, as are the bracelets."

"Oh Merlin, I forgot I was wearing this," Ginny sighed as she reached up and wrapped her hand around the necklace. "Are you sure about this though? I feel so exposed," she said feeling rather self-conscious.

"I think that's the point Gin," she giggled. "If you don't want to, then don't keep it. But you look wonderful in it, and you never know you may find an occasion when you want to wear it and feel 'exposed' as you put it."

"I vote for keeping it," came a voice from the doorway leading to the common area shared by the Head Girl and Boy.

"Draco!" Hermione shrieked slightly.

"What?" asked Draco curiously. "I was merely offering an opinion. Besides Weaselette and I have come to an understanding, haven't we?"

Hermione blinked a few times before looking between them, "I think I missed something..."

"Do you remember the Halloween Ball? The couple nobody could seem to figure out who was under the costumes?" asked Ginny quietly, wrapping the dressing gown around herself as tightly as possible.

"The Geisha and Samurai," Hermione nodded, "Their costumes were amazing... and it was you..." she realized. "Okay, I am so making you tell me where you got the costume because that was just amazing detail... you went to the ball together?" she suddenly seemed to realize.

"That surprises you Granger?" questioned Draco.

"Well, okay so honestly you probably picked on Ginny more because she was dating Harry and she's Ron's sister last year but yeah you've always picked on her and okay so yes I know you're not quite the git you portray from having to share this place with you this year but still... wouldn't you be initially surprised if you heard Pansy and Neville went to a ball together... and I know, horrible, simply horrible comparison."

"I would pity Longbottom for getting saddled with the likes of Parkinson," Draco drawled. "Ginny and I have called a truce between us, doesn't mean her brother and scarhead aren't fair game, you on the other hand…let's just say my truce with Ginny extends to you as well Granger. We have a mutual friend in common and she asked me to see to it that her friend had a good time at the ball with no pressure and no gossip. That's what I gave her," he shrugged.

"Oh?" Hermione blinked, "Oh!" she exclaimed as the article came back to her. "Draco, I know you're probably hearing this like mad but I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your mother, and if you ever need like to take a break from duties or something some night, I'll gladly take over..." she continued before catching herself, "I should probably not keep going cause we all know I can ramble when I'm nervous..."

"Thanks, but that won't be necessary, it was no real loss," Draco shrugged. "Keep the outfit Ginny. Trust me, you look amazing in it and Granger's right. There may come a time when you need it," he finished cryptically before turning and making his way out of the room.

"You know, I may not know that man very well, but every day you got to wonder a bit more about how much we misjudged him," Hermione mused before looking at Ginny, "So, keeping it?"

"I guess. Just promise me that word of this will never reach my brother's ears?"

"If it does through me, you can burn my copy of Hogwarts: A History... page by page. How's that sound?" Hermione offered before shuddering at her own offer.

"Deal," Ginny smiled. "Okay there Mr or Ms Owl," Ginny said as she walked over to the window and opened it. "Return to your master."

With an approving hoot, the owl took off out the window, leaving Ginny and Hermione alone.

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
November 29th, 1997  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Kat,_

_Oh sweet Merlin save me please or hell, I'll take any god or goddess that's listening. Bloody hell, Tom, if you're out there I could seriously use your help in killing whoever this blasted person is who keeps sending me all this stuff. Kat this is starting to get ridiculous. Now granted I probably brought this on myself having not returned a gift for two weeks but come on! Satin and silk nightgowns are one thing, but this? Circe above. Goddess help me because this is just too much! Okay I admit I started to get a little concerned the other day when I noticed how short the nightgown was but there was hardly anything to this one and what there was of it, didn't cover anything! There were slits in the top that would allow your nipples to show through and there was a huge slit down the middle of the panties. I can't believe he would send something so…so…I don't know what they were but there was no way this side of Hell that I would keep them let alone wear them. What the hell was he thinking!_

_Ginger._

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Sunday November 30th, 1997  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Great Hall  
Gryffindor Table  
8:21 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Ginger,_

_Oh bloody hell! You poor thing... (and don't get any ideas from that for my bridal shower please!) I'm sure your S.A. will definitely get the point though after this one..._

_Sorry I didn't write back sooner, Daddy took me to Paris yesterday, I had this horrible craving for lunch at my favourite restaurant there, and it gave me a chance to visit Madame Bellerose, she makes the most amazing wedding gowns and has agreed to custom make mine as well as the gowns for my attendants, well attendant..._

_Oh, I picked a wedding date; I know it's amazingly quick but... I'm being scarily romantic considering I don't love my fiancé, Valentine's Day, I know, so horribly cliché but I don't want to get married around my birthday and I've always wanted a winter wedding so... it works, and my fiancé isn't all that concerned as to when, as he put it, it's my day and he wants me to have what I want (isn't he sweet?) He's been by often, especially after everything at Halloween._

_Oh, I don't want to push, you know that, but I was wondering if you had decided about Christmas and my birthday. There are a few things I need to discuss with you and I thought that would be a good time, or we could on the next Hogsmeade visit if you want to go home for the Holidays or stay at the school. Though I may show up and kidnap you for the day, the day after my birthday for that Shopping Trip Daddy promised._

_And I'm still expecting you on the twenty-second for my show, but I'll have a portkey and such for that if you aren't here for the holidays. Sorry it just popped in my mind because I caught the time._

_I hate to talk and run but Madame Josephine calls, I'm actually planning to retire from the company after the New Year (she's so upset about it... ) but with my marriage and everything else going on I want to just focus on my marriage obviously and the horses and such. Course I'm still planning on dancing and Madame Josephine is trying to convince me to come back for special events like the Christmas production. So are some of the others in the company but I don't know yet. I mean I'd have to bow out anyways when I become pregnant and it's not like I can put that off forever. It's part of the whole marriage thing, have to produce an heir and God knows it's an unspoken thing for my family anyway since the family has died out so much over the generations, my brother and I are the first time there hasn't been only one child in the last four generations. (Scary huh?) and what with him being gay... we're not judgemental but in many ways it's fallen to me to provide grandchildren and all that until he and his significant other decide if they want to adopt or have a surrogate mother, this being if they want children at all..._

_And I'm so rambling, not enough sleep. And I'm making myself later than I already am..._

_Talk to you soon_

_Love,_

_Kat_

Looking up from her letter, Ginny was no longer surprised to see the now familiar eagle owl sitting waiting patiently on the table near her plate. "Hello Mr. or Ms. Owl," Ginny greeted since she still had no idea what the bird's actual name was. "I take it that's for me from your master," she said indicating the rather large package the owl was currently perched on. Receiving a hoot in reply, Ginny carefully pulled the package towards her, allowing the owl to hop down onto the table. /-/This can't be good/-/ she thought to herself as she took in the large size and relative lightness of the box. "Oh Circe help me…" she giggled when she peeked into the box.

"What did you get today?" Hermione whispered next to her.

"Something to help me sleep?" replied Ginny, trying to hold in her giggles.

Hermione's eyebrows shot up, "Well that's mysterious isn't it... should I be concerned?"

"Only if you have something against berets, scarves and fur…"

"Okay, now you're really confusing me..."

"He sent me a teddy bear…" Ginny giggled as she pulled the bear out of the box. It was about eighteen inches tall with chocolate brown fur and it was wearing a little red beret and matching red scarf. When she accidentally squeezed the bear's hand, she couldn't hold in her giggles anymore when the bear suddenly proclaimed 'Je t'aime'.

"That's adorable!" Hermione grinned. "Maybe he wants to take you to Paris someday."

"I would _kill_ to see Paris," Ginny sighed as she hugged the bear to her, turning to look at the owl. "Thanks but I'm not returning this one," she told it, receiving a hoot in response before watching the owl make it's way out of the Great Hall.

"You and me both," Hermione agreed.

"At least he seems to have moved on from the lingerie. I can totally go for teddy bears," Ginny smiled. "I'm going to head up to the library though and work on my letter to Kat, let her know what's happening with Christmas."

"Have fun," Hermione smiled before waving her wand and the box vanished.

"Thanks!" Ginny called back over her shoulder as she raced from the Great Hall, nearly crashing head long into her brother and Harry in the process. As quickly as she could she made her way up to Gryffindor Tower to grab her books so she could study after writing her letter to her friend.

_Kat,_

_Oh my god you are not going to believe what he sent me today. It was the most adorable French teddy bear! It even says 'Je t'aime' when you squeeze its paw. There was no way I could even dream of sending this gift back. I've always wanted a roomful of teddy bears but Mum and Dad couldn't even afford one half the size of this one. He's sitting on my lap right now as I write this in the library. I know I probably look like an idiot, sitting here in the library writing to you and hugging a teddy bear at the age of sixteen but I can't help it. _

_As to your question about Christmas, I would love to come. Turns out Mum and Dad plan to go visit Bill and Fleur in Egypt for the holidays, or so they say. Yes, you read that right. I don't really believe they're going to Egypt but I don't want to get into that right now, at least not on paper when it can get intercepted all too easily. I don't know how much I'll fit into your world but I'm willing to give it a shot. _

_A Valentine's Day wedding! Oh, you are so lucky. I've always dreamed of getting married on the most romantic day of the year but…I promised myself I wouldn't bring up my feelings about my future in this so I'm not going to finish that sentence. _

_Ron is being so utterly annoying recently. Unfortunately he witnessed something he probably shouldn't have. I was standing in the hall talking with Draco Malfoy, I was thanking him for his help on a problem I was having with one of my homework assignments in potions. I couldn't figure out why the bloody thing never turned out right no matter how many times I tried it and Draco was nice enough to help me. Well, there we were talking quietly when my idiot brother and Harry come walking down the hall. The minute he saw me with Draco he started in on the both of us. Demanding to know what was going on and what Draco had done to me. When I told him nothing, he didn't believe me. Even when Draco told him nothing it made no difference except to piss him off more. Ron's lost it! He thinks I'm secretly dating Draco Malfoy of all people now and he refuses to believe me when I tell him that is so not the case. Not that Draco's not that good looking, I mean look at his father of all people and the saying 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' comes to mind, but I so cannot see myself with Draco…Lucius maybe…in my dreams of course since it would never happen in real life…and I'm babbling so I'm going to shut up now and study while hugging my adorable French bear._

_Love _

_Ginger._

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Wednesday December 24th, 1997  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Head Girl and Boys Chambers  
Hermione's Room  
11:29 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

December passed quickly for Ginny; more presents from her Secret Admirer arrived daily, after the first bear he seemed to realize that the bears were a big thing and more and more came, each dressed in a different outfit from around the world, a Geisha from Japan that had Hermione grinning like an idiot, one in a hula outfit from Hawaii, and many, many more. There were other things interspersed, chocolates and more jewellery, a beautiful journal with gold leafing on the edges that Hermione had drooled over.

A portkey had arrived a few days earlier from Kat that would activate at eleven-thirty in the morning exactly on Christmas Eve, and anyone touching it would be brought to her house, which was why Ginny was hurriedly gathering the last few things as the time drew near, she had taken shelter in Hermione's room to prepare for her trip. Her parents didn't really care if she was going to see her long-time pen pal as long as she wrote and told them she arrived safely and was okay, and had an emergency portkey that Dumbledore provided, just in case. Ron though had blown his top, not believing she was leaving for the holidays, much to Hermione and Harry's annoyance, though it was Harry who got to keep the youngest Weasley male occupied while Hermione spent her time with Ginny.

"Have a good trip," Hermione smiled as she took Ginny's hand and put the portkey, an old edition of the Daily Prophet, into it. "Write and tell me everything!" she ordered as the portkey activated a second later.

When the spinning of sorts stopped, Ginny found herself facing a wall with a large bay window the equivalent of two or three windows actually, which looked out over an extensive garden, though for now the garden was dormant with the winter months. Turning she took in the rest of the room, a bedroom, with an arched opening on the opposite wall to a sitting area. The bedroom was a mix of light blues, shades of white, and hints of silver, while the sitting room looked to be greens instead of blues.

"Hello!"

Turning quickly she grinned when she saw the large bird that was various shades of green and blue. "I've heard about you before..." she smiled.

"Nice to meet you," the bird continued as she tilted her head to look at Ginny from another angle.

"Aíne introducing herself is she?" Kat's voice came from behind Ginny.

"Yep," Ginny smiled as she turned to face her friend.

"God, it's good to see you," Kat grinned, "Oh and hope it's not too shocking," she held up a lock of pale blonde hair.

"Wow blonde…" Ginny said taking in her friend's appearance. "I'm used to the black but I have to admit the blonde suits you better," she shrugged. "It's good to see you too, especially since my brother tried to nearly kill me the other day…"

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Kat rolled her eyes, "Well hug first? Then lunch and conversations? And I can show you to your rooms, they're across the hall actually..."

"Food would be fantastic. I've been hiding out in Hermione's Head Girl room all morning."

Oh lords," Kat rolled her eyes, before crossing the room to get a hug, "Come on," she began when she pulled back, "You can put whatever you brought there on the bed, though I'm sure you've shrunken it... Oh and I'll warn you, she flies," she nodded towards Aíne before turning to head to the sitting room area and ringing a bell.

"Well I didn't bring much," Ginny said as she put her bag down on Kat's bed.

"Well you weren't suppose to since we're doing a grand shopping spree in two days, if you decide to stay that is," Kat began in a teasing tone before turning serious from the other room.

"Why wouldn't I be staying?" Ginny asked as she made her way into the sitting room.

"Cause you might not like the things I have to tell you," Kat admitted, "Lacey went to get us something to eat," she continued as she nodded towards the couches. "Heaven only knows what she'll turn up with, but I wouldn't be surprised by a great number of treats. The House Elves have been creating holiday foods for weeks I swear."

"Okay," Ginny said a little hesitantly as she sat down on one of the couches.

Before Kat could say anything, the house elf appeared, "Lunch is ready Miss Kitty," she spoke before snapping her fingers and a table appeared next to the couches covered with food.

"Thank you Lacey, I'll ring if we need anything else and Lacey this is my friend Ginny, I'd like you to help her in any way you can while she's here if she asks for anything."

"Of course Miss Kitty. Lacey is pleased to meet you Miss Ginny," Lacey inclined her head to Ginny.

"Nice to meet you too Lacey," Ginny replied with a smile.

"Miss Ginny to be in the lavender rooms?"

"Yes," Kat answered simply.

"Good, good," Lacey nodded before simply disappearing.

"Lavender rooms?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"The rooms across the hall, there's a lavender theme to it of sorts. The bedroom is pale lavenders and silvers while the sitting area is mostly whites with fresh lavender as decoration and such."

"Sounds pretty," Ginny said as she picked up a sandwich.

"I had fun decorating my wing," Kat chuckled. "So Ron was being an idiot?"

"Yeah, he thought I was lying when I said I was leaving for the holidays," Ginny said rolling her eyes.

"Bloody idiot," Kat rolled her own eyes. "Duck," she continued quickly when she heard the familiar sound of wings. Ginny looked at her odd before ducking her head down, just in time for Aíne to fly over her head on her way to the couch where Kat was curled. "Get hungry or something?"

"Please?" Aíne asked before raising one foot and pulling her four claws in towards each other then stretching them out and repeating the motion a few times as she said, "Hi."

"Hello again," Ginny laughed, watching the bird's antics.

"Crazy bird," Kat chuckled before holding up a piece of chicken from her sandwich. "Happy, my little cannibal?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled, as the bird held the meat in one foot and took bites, waving her wand and another glass appeared at the end of the table. "It's there if you get thirsty, no going after my drink," she gave Aíne a look before focusing on Ginny. "You get to witness first hand all those things I wrote about."

"I see that," Ginny smiled.

"Yes, she's nuts. Daddy says she takes entirely too much after me," Kat smiled.

"Must be nice to have an animal of your own," Ginny mused.

"You'll have one," Kat smiled once more.

"My parents can't afford to replace Errol Kat, never mind buying me an owl or anything," commented Ginny.

"Remind me to smack you later," she rolled her eyes as she moved to get a piece of apple cake.

"And when are you going to realize that I'm not you?" countered Ginny. "I don't have a father that can shower me with gifts simply because he feels like it."

"Trust me Ginger; I know you're not me. I think that's why we make such wonderful friends; you're someone who knows me outside my family name. And who says it has to be your father that gives you gifts?"

"Because who else in their right mind would?"

"Your friends, for one," Kat offered, "Your brothers I'm sure would love to be able to give you gifts if they can... well I wouldn't be so sure about Ron, he sounds rather selfish and annoying to me, but the others..." she shrugged.

"The twins might but I never see them now that they have their shop in Diagon Alley."

"Well, once the school year is over, you'll probably see them more..."

"Can we not talk about my family anymore? I feel bad enough about the stuff I'm keeping from them as it is…"

"Sure," Kat nodded, "So... I suppose we should get to my confessions..." she sighed softly.

"Probably," Ginny agreed quietly.

"Yeah," Kat nodded before setting her plate aside and shifting in her seat. "I've never told you much about my family, I mean you know my Mother was psychotic and we never got along, and that I have a brother who's gay, and Daddy spoils me to bits, mostly cause I've always been his favourite after being born so early and nearly dying and all that. And you know that my family is wealthy, but beyond that...

"Uh huh…"

"And you've always known me as Kat, but as you just heard I'm also called Kitty, actually that's what my brother calls me, most people call me Kitty actually instead of Kat, except for Daddy, he calls me Kitten..." she began to babble before catching herself, and took a deep breath. "My full name is actually Ekaterina Morrigan Epona... Malfoy," she added quietly.

"Could you repeat that because I don't think I heard you right? I thought I heard you say your name was Malfoy…"

"It is," Kat agreed softly before hurrying on, "I _know_ I should have said something sooner, but when we first met at St. Mungo's we only exchanged first names and you were so nice and you were someone who knew me not as a Malfoy but as _me_ and I only had that with Daddy and Draco and I wanted so _badly_ to have a friend who wasn't around me just because of my name and everything. And then as time went on I was terrified that you'd just cut off all ties if you knew I was a Malfoy. But I kind of _can't_ avoid it any longer and I _know_ I shouldn't have all this time but with everything going on now it just can't be, you know, since _if_ you come to my wedding Daddy would be there and I _wouldn't_ want that to get thrown at you then and oh Gods, I should shut up," she groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "The Floo is active if you want to use it or whatever," was muffled through her hands.

"Did you _honestly_ think I would give a _shit_ about your name?" snapped Ginny defensively, her hurt coming through in her voice. "I can't _believe_ you thought so _little_ of me Kat. After _everything_ I've told you…I _trusted_ you with my inner most thoughts and feelings and you didn't even have the _decency_ to do the same? My Gods Kat, I _gave_ you the _perfect_ opportunity to say something about Lucius Malfoy being your _father_ when I wrote to you after the crap at the Ministry! Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick," she grumbled when realization hit that the man she had been dreaming of for the last year and a half was the father of her best friend.

"Powder Room's that door," Kat pointed behind Ginny, "And I know, I was an _idiot_ and silly and ridiculous and down right _stupid_. I _should_ have trusted you and it wasn't that I didn't trust you, it was just that I was so afraid that I let my fear override the trust I had in you and was imprudent and I'm probably _not_ helping myself in _any_ way. But as for the thing about Daddy, you have _no_ idea how much I wanted to hug you and _thank_ you for letting him go and I _never_ cared that you had dreams about him or any of that, in fact I was actually rooting for everything even though Mother was an annoying factor and I'm really, _really_, not helping..."

"You're not the one having erotic dreams about her best friend's father," Ginny said.

"No, if it's any consolation I've been having them about Tom Riddle..." Kat offered, "Could be more shudder worthy than your best friend's father..." she shrugged slightly. "Wait, I'm still your best friend?" she looked up hopefully.

"I'm angry and hurt by your lack of faith in me Kat but that doesn't mean that you're not still my best friend," Ginny said quietly.

"I'm sorry Ginger, so very much so," Kat smiled slightly.

"I think I'd like to lie down for a while if you don't mind…"

"Not at all," Kat nodded before rising. "There is that Christmas Eve dinner I mentioned for tonight but you don't have to come. There's going to be about ten people other than you there... Lacey will help you with anything you need or find me if I happen to be out. Or if you want to, feel free to roam, we're on the second floor but this section of the house is entirely mine, no one comes here without permission, one of the things I made Daddy swear to when I came home after Beauxbatons. The stables are just outside and a few yards away if you want to go see the horses or something... and I'm babbling," she rolled her eyes. "Ten to one, Lacey's already grabbed your things from my room and taken them to your rooms so... just follow me?"

"Lead the way."

Kat nodded before leading her to the closed door and out into the hallway, over to the door across the way and inside. As she had said the sitting room they were in was done in various shades of whites and creams with hints of darker purple here and there and sprays of lavender around the room. "Bedroom is through the archway," she pointed towards it before moving her hand towards a door, "That's the bath, there's another door from the bedroom, and the closet is the other door as you could guess," she explained before turning to lift a chain that was hanging around the door handle, "And the key," she held it out, "The rooms are charmed so they can't be unlocked with a charm unless it's actually me casting the charm, so no one can get in here when you want to be alone, or while you're gone."

"Thanks," Ginny said, taking the key from her friend.

"You're welcome," she nodded, "I'll be around, if not just call for Lacey if you can't find me and want to or whatever. I'll stop by in a few hours but if you're still asleep or something..." she trailed off with a shrug. "See you later then..."

"Bye."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Wednesday December 24th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The North Wing - The Main Wing  
The Parlour  
7:15 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"You look lovely Kitty."

Kat looked up at the dark haired man next to her and rolled her eyes, "I look like a nervous wreck you mean."

"Lover, are you bothering my sister when she's panicking over her guest?" Draco came up behind them, wrapping his arms around her waist as he let his head hover a few inches above her pile of curls.

"You know, it's nice to see you blonde again, his hair is loose, thank God, and falling into yours."

"Blaise, shut up," Kat rolled her eyes once more.

"You're not helping lover," Draco chuckled, "Hey!" he stood up straight after she had reached up to smack the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"You're laughing at me," she grumbled.

"No, I'm laughing at him," he argued before turning on Blaise when Blaise had hit him. "What was that for?"

"You're laughing at me," he smirked.

"Oh for the love of everything magical," Draco grumbled. "Ahh, lovely Miss Weasley has arrived," he nodded towards the hall.

"Then kindly let me go, I need to go warn her about my fiancé before she runs into him," Kat slipped out of his arms.

"You mean you haven't yet?" Blaise blinked at her.

"I haven't seen her since confessing that I'm a bloody Malfoy," Kat hissed towards him.

"I don't think you're going to get your chance just yet Kitty," Draco countered quietly, directing their attention to where Ginny had stopped by the windows, and their father was headed towards her

"You look lovely tonight Miss Weasley," Lucius said as he stepped up beside Ginny where she stood looking out at the snow covered ground, taking in her appearance.

Ginny was wearing a simple, long-sleeve, knee length emerald green dress with a slightly flared skirt and a plunging neckline on the back that finished just above the small of her back. The neckline along the front of the dress followed her collarbone, allowing the single diamond solitaire necklace she wore to stand out amongst the sea of green fabric. The front and side pieces of her hair were pulled back into a single, simple clip on the back of her head, keeping them out of her face while the rest of her hair hung loose down her back. She wore a simple pair of heels in the same colour as her dress.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy," Ginny replied a little nervously. She had been surprised to say the least when she had learned that morning that her best friend was in fact a Malfoy, not only was she a Malfoy but she was the eldest daughter of the man currently standing next to her, a man she had been dreaming of for longer than she could remember, a man she had secretly wanted for years but now could never have. As upset as she was with her best friend for not telling her the object of her desires was in fact her father, she would never do the one thing she truly wanted to do because the last thing she wanted was to jeopardize her friendship and sleeping with her best friend's father would do just that.

"It seems Kat was right," Lucius mused. "The size and style of the dress suit you beautifully.""

"Excuse me?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"I wasn't sure about the kind of dress to get for you so Kat gave me a few ideas. I'm glad I listened as that dress suits you perfectly," explained Lucius.

"You bought me this dress?" questioned Ginny turning to face Lucius.

"I did…"

"I see. Well then, Mr. Malfoy, I assure you that it will be returned to your chambers first thing in the morning in the same condition in which I received it. If you'll excuse me," Ginny said turning and stepping away from Lucius.

Before she could get too far away, Lucius reached out and took a gentle hold of her arm, making sure that his hold was only just strong enough to convey the fact that he wanted her to stop and turn back towards him. "That really isn't necessary Miss Weasley…"

"And I assure you that it is Mr. Malfoy," Ginny said removing her arm from Lucius' grasp. "Unlike some, I have not forgotten that I am a Weasley and we have very little money to spare, me even less and what I do have I'm afraid I have already spent on what I'm sure will be considered rather meagre gifts in comparison to the rest of those shared tomorrow. I will not allow myself or my family to become indebted to you over nothing more than a simple dress, no matter how much I may like it. The dress will be returned first thing in the morning," she finished before turning and walking away, only to stop short when she nearly crashed into someone. Looking up she was surprised by the person standing before her. He may have changed, grown older, but his eyes would always remain the same and she would recognize them anywhere.

"Well well well, if it isn't little Ginny Weasley. All grown up into a beautiful young woman," he greeted before his companion could say anything.

"Ginny I'd like you to meet…"

"Tom Riddle," Ginny said, cutting Kat's introduction off, holding her hand out towards Tom for him to shake, only to have him take it and lay a gentle kiss on her knuckles before wrapping her hand around his arm and leading her away from where Lucius and Kat still stood. "Allow me to escort you into dinner."

"Of course," Ginny agreed, knowing she really didn't have much choice as her hand was currently trapped between Tom's arm and hand.

"You've changed Ginevra," Tom commented as he led her from the room.

"Oh?"

"Yes, you're not the same girl you were. You've become the typical Gryffindor. Self-absorbed, arrogant, self-righteous, sanctimonious, and conceited with a healthy dose of superiority," he said as he led Ginny into the dining room and over to her seat at the long table.

"Tom, how can you…"

"Don't even try to deny it, Ginevra," he said as he helped her into her chair before leaning down to whisper in her ear as the others began making their way into the room. "If you weren't you never would have thrown Lucius Malfoy's gifts back in his face the way you just did." Having said his piece, Tom walked away from Ginny, leaving her there alone before she could answer.

A few moments later, Draco sat down across from her, leaving the spot between them at the end of the table empty. The chair next to her was claimed almost at the same time.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Ginny," Draco smiled across the table. "Might I introduce you to Blaise..."

"Happy Christmas Eve," Blaise echoed softly.

"Hmm?" Ginny asked looking up from her plate. "Happy Christmas Eve, Draco," she said before turning towards Blaise. "Happy Christmas Eve."

"It's good to see you here," Blaise spoke quietly so only she could hear. "Dra and Kitty were both hoping you would come, Kitty more obviously."

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Hermione letting me hide out in her room this morning," replied Ginny.

"Nice witch that one, definitely smarter than her lover and your brother," he nodded. "Feel free to dominate me for conversation over dinner though," he continued quickly as most everyone else took their seats, "Dra's father is sitting next to you," he warned, "And we need to stand up because here he comes, we sit when he does," he whispered quickly.

"Why?" whispered Ginny as everyone stood.

"Tradition, goes back to the old ways during the Middle Ages, especially when Wizarding kind and Muggles lived in peace. Lord of the Manor and all that. Far as I know Muggles still do it for Royalty and such."

"Why am I seated to Mr. Malfoy's right? Shouldn't Kat be sitting here or something?"

"Kat is seated next to Tom," he nodded towards the other end of the table where Tom stood opposite where Lucius sat. "You're here as an honoured guest," he explained quietly as Lucius came around the table to the empty seat between Ginny and Draco.

"Happy Christmas Eve," he smiled, "Please, be seated," he continued before sitting down as everyone followed suit.

"Honoured guest?" whispered Ginny as she looked down at the rather elaborate table setting before her.

"You're Kitty's best friend, the rest of those here are friends of the family, Professor Snape for example," he nodded towards Severus who sat across from Kat. "They come every year, just as I have since I was a young boy; my father went to school with Severus and was friends with Lucius prior to his death. You're the only true guest I suppose you could say, and an honoured one for you are Kitty's best friend like I said. Lucius loves Dra, but he adores Kitty, everyone knows it. Fortunately, it's never been a problem between Dra and Kitty..."

"And nobody finds it strange to have a Weasley in their midst?"

"You'll find that while outward appearances portray many of those here as right bastards who don't like your father for example, we're actually rather nice. We have standards to live up to, at least to the public eye. And truth be told, many of us have strong beliefs in regards to Muggles that disagree with others in the Wizarding World, but even in those, you'd be surprised to learn that our beliefs aren't simply the way they are portrayed or believed by others in our world. For example, my dear lover doesn't actually hate Hermione for being Muggle-born, doesn't hate her at all actually, but we both do have slight issues with Muggle-borns because of how Muggles tend to treat Wizarding kind. But it's a person by person basis in regards to if we like them or even consider them actually worthy of the gift they've been given in magic."

"If you ask me the Gods made a mistake where my brother is concerned," Ginny mumbled.

"That's the truth," Blaise agreed with a wink. "Or the Sorting Hat did at least..."

"There's no house for Ron, he doesn't fit into any of them…"

"Well my personal belief is he should have been in Hufflepuff of any," Blaise shrugged, "There's a seafood theme tonight," he continued as the waiter stopped between them and placed a plate in front of him then moved to place a plate in front of her from her left.

"Ron's too hot tempered to be a Hufflepuff," commented Ginny. "I think he wanted to be a Gryffindor because Harry was," she shrugged.

"I highly doubt it would have gone well with your parents if he hadn't been a Gryff anyway," Blaise shrugged slightly.

"Tell me about it. I got grilled before getting on the Express for my first year that I had better get sorted Gryffindor or else," grumbled Ginny.

"Talk about annoying," Blaise rolled his eyes, "I mean, the Gods know everyone would have been floored if Dra and I hadn't ended up in Slytherin, but if we had... it wouldn't have been the end of the world."

"It would have been for me if I'd ended up in Slytherin…like I wanted…" Ginny trailed off quietly.

He had been trying to keep his attention away from the young woman beside him as best as possible, which was probably why he started chocking on his wine when he'd caught her last comment.

"Well, between us, you would look far better in green than red," Blaise smiled. "Then again, who says you can't have both?"

"Both?"

"Well, it seems to me, this holiday would be the best example that one can wear red and green together. Everyone might see the lion, but miss the snake curled around its back leg."

"People don't see the snake."

"Exactly, but that doesn't mean the snake isn't there, or that you can't let it out to play when the time is right."

"And when exactly might I do that? Have you forgotten my annoying older brother that likes to keep an annoyingly close watch on me?"

"Well, he's never around when you're with Kitty," Blaise began, "And he will be gone from school in a matter of months."

"I have to ditch him every time I meet with Kat and do you really think he's going to stand back and let my friendship continue when he learns she's a Malfoy?"

"Ginny, who says he has to find out?" Blaise countered. "Unless you tell him... it's not like her name is going to be in the papers anytime soon. It's being kept quite quiet."

"What about when she marries the Dark Lord sitting next to her? Will it be kept quiet then?"

"Kitty's been going nuts wanting to warn you about that before dinner, but as we all know she didn't quite get the chance..." he smiled into his glass. "And oh yes, that's why it's being kept quiet of course. The Order would love nothing more to use against Tom, than his bride..."

"Yes well…I'm beginning to wonder about Tom Riddle…"

"He's not the villain Dumbledore makes him out to be," Blaise shrugged slightly.

"I _know_ that," Ginny said rolling her eyes. "I meant he's not the same as I remember."

Blaise looked down at the end of the table where the man in question was engaged in a debate of some sort with Kat and Severus before looking back at her, "Not many of us know about that. Dra and I do merely because we happened to be spying on his father, one night," he whispered, "But I can say, it's been over fifty years in his life since he was the person you knew. Everyone's bound to change, especially in the world we live in."

"The Tom I knew never would have said to me what this one did," Ginny said as she sat playing with the food on her plate.

"Seems to me, perhaps it's time to get to know the Tom he is now, if you want to that is."

"My first impression of him now is not that of a man I wish to know better," admitted Ginny.

"Picked on you did he?" Blaise suppressed a smile.

"Insulted is more like it."

"He does that, typically when he wants to make you really think about something. Kind of makes Dra and I wonder just how Kitty's going to stand being married to him, she's right stubborn and has that temper from hell that Dra didn't even get half of, _**thankfully**_."

Ginny bit her tongue to keep the first response to herself. "She has my sympathies," she said placing her knife and fork down on her plate.

"Personally, he has mine more," Blaise chuckled lightly. "But I do believe it's your turn to pick a topic."

"I am curious about one thing, have been for a while actually but I wouldn't dream of ever asking Draco about it," Ginny commented.

"What's that?"

"How the Slytherins reacted when he gave up the game to Gryffindor to save the life a Gryffindor, a Weasley one in particular," Ginny said turning to look at Blaise.

"Good question," he smiled softly, "Some are upset, but there are others who understand. Sure, we would have liked to win the match, but no game is ever worth more than a life. And besides, one consolation I suppose you could say, it wasn't the golden boy himself that saved you, so those who were upset, are quite proud of that fact."

"Yes well, Harry claims not to have seen it and Ron, the idiot that he is, seems to think the game is more important than his sister's life. Makes me wonder if it's even worth continuing to play to tell you the truth since he makes my life a living hell."

"Does it make you happy?"

"It used to, but now…" Ginny trailed off. "Now I'm afraid."

"Of what?" he pressed softly

"Of flying…of being that far off the ground…When it happened, when I felt the bludgers hit, I figured that was it. As I blacked out I felt myself start to fall and I figured I'd never wake up," Ginny replied quietly with a small shrug.

"Understandable," he nodded, "You can always try flying at your own speed? To help defeat the fear... I'm guessing that's why you haven't been in any of the matches since..."

"Any time I've tried flying since then Ron hasn't been too far away to rub my failure in my face."

"Bloody prat," Blaise muttered. "Well, I happen to know there is quite the collection of brooms here, and I'm sure we can convince Kitty to join us if you would like to try flying tomorrow, you, me, Dra and Kitty. No pressure and trust me, ten to one you'll be higher than Kitty, she hates going higher than five feet from the ground on a broom. Doesn't trust them even if her life depended on it. Though I suspect you probably already know that..." he trailed off with a shrug and a slight hint of pink to his ears.

"She never could understand my fascination with flying on a broom or Quidditch. I blame my brothers for it actually and I'm sure you and Draco have other things you'd rather be doing than helping me get over this stupid fear I have…"

"Darling, there's nothing that man over there loves more than being on a broomstick, believe me, we're probably going to be flying tomorrow anyway. And even if we weren't, there's nothing we would rather be doing," Blaise countered. "As for Kitty, she understands I think, just doesn't share. She can't avoid it in her family."

"I'm going to take the first part of your statement in the manner in which you meant it, not the way my brain decided to interpret it given the recent revelation of your relationship with Draco," Ginny said, having turned rather pink. "You have nothing better to do than help an enemy get back to flying?"

"Whoever said you were our enemy Ginny?" Blaise countered with a smile, "Here I could have sworn my lover took you to the Halloween Ball, he'd never do that for an enemy. Although, can you just imagine him taking Potter to the Halloween Ball?" he mused. "And I do _**love**_ your brain," he winked at her.

"I don't know who would be the first to kill the other in that scenario. And as for my brain, you're welcome to it, that way I might actually get a decent night's sleep for once."

"Actually I honestly would probably kill Dra first. And really now, you don't want it? But it's such a lovely one..."

"If you think so you can have the dreams I'm plagued with on a nightly basis," Ginny told him flatly.

"That bad then?"

"That _good_…"

"Oh really now," Blaise grinned. "I remember those days... oh wait, I had one just the other morning," he chuckled. "Believe it or not love, they will go away, you just have to find another outlet for the feelings behind the dreams."

"Yes well, that _won't_ be happening any time soon," Ginny sighed. "After the debacle of being _dumped_ by the Boy Who Lived, no guy will come near me and besides, the person in my dreams doesn't even attend Hogwarts."

"You know, you're just making me more and more curious about these dreams of yours," Blaise smirked before turning serious, "But don't give up just yet on love. The guys at Hogwarts are for the most part rather much a pack of idiots, especially if they let the stories Skeeter ran about you and Potter influence them considering we all saw that the relationship ended mutually before school ended. Even those of us in Slytherin who don't like Potter for his fame and stupidity saw and admitted that."

"If there was a foolproof way to swear you to secrecy I might be inclined to let you see one of them," Ginny smirked.

"Don't you know darling, Slytherins keep secrets to the grave. How do you think so many of us managed to have joined the supposed dark side right under Dumbledore's nose over the years?"

"Yes well, I'd hate for this information to get to the person," Ginny countered.

"Unless it's me you're dreaming about, you have my word, I'd never tell a soul, even my love over there," he nodded across the table. "But I'm not saying you have to tell me, but if you want to, then I'd never tell anyone without your permission."

"Well, it might be nice to get a guy's opinion on if my dreams indicate I've totally lost my mind and since I'm not about to mention them to my brother…" Ginny trailed off with a shrug. "I wonder if there's a pensieve around here somewhere…"

"There's one in Draco's library we can use later, and I'd be glad to offer a guy's perspective."

"Thanks, since I wake up every morning telling myself I'm crazy."

"You're too pretty to be crazy. Trust me, I've seen Dra's Aunt, she's crazy, and she's no longer as pretty as she was, so my firm belief is that when one loses their mind, they tend to lose their looks too."

"Thanks, I think…"

"I know, that didn't come out as well as it sounded in my head," he smiled before nodding to her left as Lucius rose.

"Shall we adjourn to the parlour for drinks before the ornament exchange my daughter insists on doing every year?" Lucius spoke.

"Oh admit it Daddy, you know you love it," Kat pointed out as she rose with the others, Blaise taking Ginny's hand to help her up.

"I admit no such thing Kitten," he countered with a smile before everyone began to move from the table.

"Come on, if you want we can go borrow Dra's pensieve. They'll be drinking tea, cider, and other drinks for a little bit," Blaise offered quietly to Ginny as he stepped away from his chair and held out a hand to lead her from hers.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm not much up for small talk at the moment," Ginny replied as she took a hold of Blaise's arm to let him escort her from the room.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Well," Blaise sat back after having witnessed the dream she showed him. "I'd say you certainly aren't crazy. In fact you have rather fantastic taste if I do say so myself."

"You don't think it's even the _tiniest_ bit odd that _he's_ the one I spend my nights dreaming of? A man old enough to be my father?" questioned Ginny as she watched Blaise from her spot opposite him.

"Dear one, I'm involved with his son, but you think I wouldn't welcome a chance with him if I didn't love Draco more than life itself?" Blaise smiled, "No, it's not odd. I'll have you know Merlin's wife was some twenty years his junior, the exact age no one remembers anymore actually... You can't help who you love, or want to have mad passionate sex with; it simply is what it is."

"I don't even know what love feels like Blaise. I never loved Harry. I dated him because it's what was expected of me," Ginny told him. "How do I know if what I'm feeling really is love or my dreams are nothing more than morbid fantasies? He's not exactly the type of person you can just walk up to and …" she trailed off turning away from Blaise.

"Love is different to everyone Ginny," Blaise began softly, "It's knowing you can't live without someone, but being willing to let them go anyway if it's what would make them happy. It's waking up each morning unable to not smile simply because you know you'll see that person today, wanting them to have happiness no matter what the cost to yourself might be. But that doesn't mean it's all birds singing in the trees, and some such like they say in stories. It's a feeling, deep within. You might not love him yet, doesn't mean that you won't or aren't meant to. I don't think these," he gestured at the pensive, "are morbid fantasies, dreams yes, hopes, very likely, but there's nothing morbid about them. There's nothing wrong with caring for someone, for wanting to be with that person, even if it's just in your subconscious. And there's _nothing_ to be ashamed of for it or for the way you are. No one has the right to judge you, except _you_."

"But is it worth destroying everything just to be with someone?" asked Ginny quietly.

"To answer that, I suppose it should be asked, what exactly would be destroyed by being with him?"

"My family for one. I told you Blaise, they didn't want me in Slytherin and after the incident with the Chamber in my first year, if they found out I was involved with not only a Slytherin, but a Malfoy on top of it and not even the Malfoy heir but the patriarch? They're going to flip when the learn that my pen pal is Malfoy, I can only imagine what they'll do to me if they ever found out I was not only having fantasies about Lucius Malfoy but was trying to pursue something with him…"

"Ginny, you don't have to tell your family that Kitty is a Malfoy, technically she won't be known as one in a few months anyway. As for your family, true Ron might have a heart attack, though that _could_ be an improvement. Have you ever really got the lay of the land so to speak with the rest of your brothers on their feelings regarding Malfoys? Even so, in my opinion, if your family and friends really care about you, they wouldn't judge who you choose to love. They love _you_ not the person you choose to spend your time or life with. Besides, who says you have to say anything until you know what has happened?"

"I guess so," Ginny sighed. "We should probably head back to the party…"

"True, we probably should," he agreed before rising and offering his hand. "Shall we, my dear?"

"Of course," Ginny said taking his hand and allowing him to help her to her feet before taking a hold of his arm so he could escort her back down to the parlour.

"Happy Christmas Eve," Kat smiled, waiting by the doorway for them when the two reached the parlour.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Kitty," Blaise smiled. "Did we make it in time for the exchange?"

"Hasn't even begun yet, Daddy, Severus, and Thomas are arguing about something from when Daddy and Severus were at school, as to who's version of the story is correct. Honestly I think they're all wrong about it and it was really your father that planned the whole grand scheme they're arguing about."

"Do I even want to ask?" asked Ginny.

"No," Kat laughed, "Honestly, none of us want to know. You would swear the three of them were the teenagers, Dra and Blaise. Do you mind dreadfully if I steal you from Blaise for a few moments?"

"Should I be worried that you want to separate me from an already spoken for gentleman?"

"Oh be terrified," Kat smiled wickedly.

"You're not going to help me are you?" Ginny asked turning to look at Blaise.

"What in heaven's name do you need my help for?" he smirked, "She's _**your**_ best friend. And besides, I've been afraid of her since the day I had to go and ask her permission to date her brother. She was more terrifying than her father."

"Now you know I can hurt you little man, but only if you hurt him."

"Why is it I'm afraid of a woman who calls me 'little man' when she has to stand on a chair to be eye level with me?" Blaise sighed.

"You know, I think I should hit you for that, what do you think Ginger?"

"Don't bother," Ginny said as she reached behind him and smacked him in the head.

"Thank you my dear one," Kat smiled as Blaise rubbed his head. "So, can I steal you before we are forced to smack him again?"

"If you promise to keep me as far away from your fiancé as possible," Ginny said forcing a fake smile onto her face.

"I shall do my best, and I'm sure Blaise can convince Draco to help him play interference until I have to leave you to begin the ornament exchange. Speaking of which, you two better not have messed with my hat," she shot a look at Blaise who raised his hands between them and tried to look innocent. "Oh Merlin, go fix it! I don't want to know what you did to my poor hat but it better be fixed. My hair is not turning the same shade as the tree like last year."

"We'd never dream of it... again," Blaise added with a wink, "Don't worry, we'll help with the distraction of Tom but I highly doubt he's going to be leaving that argument with the Professor and Dra and Kitty's father any time soon," he added to Gin before hurrying away towards Draco, who looked over at them, turned rather pale, and hurried off towards the tree.

"Bloody annoying ones," Kat rolled her eyes before focusing on Ginny, "You look lovely Ginger. I wanted to tell you when you arrived, well that and I wanted to warn you..." she trailed off with a one-shouldered shrug. "I had already thrown so much on you this morning; I didn't want to add my fiancé to the mix without giving you time to process... I probably should have it seems. He wasn't absolutely horrid, was he?"

"Does rude and insulting count as being horrid?"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, I am so yelling at that man later. How I'm ever going to manage to survive being married to him when he doesn't listen," Kat muttered. "I'm sorry Ginger. Would it help if I went over and smacked him for you? I _could_ get away with it..."

"I'd rather you didn't. I may not have liked the way in which it was done, but he did have a point, now that I think about it," Ginny shrugged.

"Oh?"

"I'd _really_ rather _not_ talk about it right now," replied Ginny.

"Of course," Kat agreed. "So you're getting to know Blaise I see."

"He was kind enough to keep me entertained during dinner."

"That's good. He's a good man, a good friend and he's good for Dra, so I like to keep him around," she smiled. "Before I forget though, I have a small gift for you for tonight," she pulled out a small box.

"What is this?" asked Ginny taking the box from her friend.

"Inside is a ring, it's a temporary portkey so that if you feel like you need to get away without making a big scene at any time during the next few hours, you can. It will take you back to your rooms. I knew you might not be completely comfortable as the night wore on, not that I can blame you, and wanted to give you a means to go if you wanted to."

"Oh…thank you."

"That didn't come out as simple as I was hoping it would," Kat gave a half smile.

"It's not that…really. I just feel weird being with this company is all…" Ginny said quietly.

"It's okay, I understand what you mean," Kat agreed softly.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," she smiled before looking up, "I got to go get the ornament exchange started, Blaise and Dra will probably come bother you, you going to be okay for a few minutes at most?"

"I'll be fine," Ginny assured her, making her way over to stand near the French doors as Kat made her way towards the tree.

"Happy Christmas Eve!" Kat announced as she stopped by the tree, and Draco promptly placed a red and white 'St. Nick's hat' on her head. "Thank you Dra, now go away, you're not going to get to sneak having Blaise's ornament," she looked at him as others laughed. He rolled his eyes then made his way towards Blaise and they both made their way over to Ginny. "Now, everyone has to close their eyes, I know, I know, I'm an evil Christmas Elf, and don't you dare make a comment about me having that right because I'm small enough to be one darling brother of mine."

"Wouldn't dream of it Kitty," Draco drawled.

"Sure, like any of us believe _that_," she rolled her eyes, "Now, eyes closed! You too Thomas..." she continued as Ginny closed her eyes along with the others. "Alright! Open them," she ordered, and when Ginny opened hers she saw a wrapped box floating in front of her, a quick glance saw boxes floating in front of everyone as people reached up to grab theirs.

"She's got a spell that randomly sends these things flying around the room to someone," Blaise explained with a smile.

"Now remember, everyone gets to exchange there's with one other person, twice. But once you've exchanged twice you're on your own if someone else takes the one you want, and if someone decides they want yours and they haven't used up their chances, you have no choice but to give. It stinks I know, and Draco don't go getting any ideas, I purposely switched Blaise's wrapping paper with somebody else's."

"Evil Christmas Elf!" Draco called before rolling his eyes.

"Don't forget, I know where you sleep," Kat countered.

"I'm fairly certain everyone knows where to find Draco when he's not here at the Manor, just find Blaise," Severus smirked.

"Oh well put, just never forget to ring a very loud bell and cover your eyes before entering any closed doors," Kitty giggled.

"Hey!" Draco and Blaise exclaimed.

"She does have a point," Lucius smirked before holding out his hand to Kitty who rolled her eyes and handed her package over only to take his.

"Alright, someone's finally done an exchange, get to it people!"

"I'm afraid the Christmas Elf might hurt us if we don't," Severus spoke, clearly amused.

"We should probably start exchanging before she gets distracted from going after him to come after us," Blaise and Draco exchanged looks before focusing on Ginny, "Would you like to claim one of ours?"

"Sure," Ginny said holding her's out towards Draco.

"Here you are kind lady," Draco smiled as they traded. "Hey!"

"Mine now," Blaise smirked after grabbing the one Ginny had just given him, and handing over his.

"Okay, this is new…I've never had two guys fighting over me before…too bad they're already spoken for," Ginny giggled.

"Don't worry, we'll always fight over you," Draco smiled.

"Until you tell us to get lost of course."

"She'll never tell us to get lost, we're too charming!"

"Lover, I'm charming, you're annoying," Blaise countered with a smirk. "But sadly I think we better get over there before someone comes over here looking for an exchange."

"Ha, I'm so getting her's back!"

"Oh ye of little sense, I can simply save my last exchange to get it back from you," Blaise smirked before looking at Ginny, "Will you be okay for a few? Kitty's rather much got her father and Tom landlocked there by the tree so..."

"Go save your sister," Ginny said pushing Draco in Kat's direction. "I'll be fine Blaise."

"Alright, but I'll hurry back," he nodded before turning to follow after Draco to save him from his sister.

As soon as Blaise and Draco's backs were turned, Ginny took the opportunity to quietly slip out the French doors.

"Alright, has everyone done their two gift exchanges?" Kat asked from her spot by the tree that she had so far been unable to move from. A chorus of 'yes' followed her statement, save for one. "What do you mean no?" Kat looked at Blaise.

"I have one left, and I'm stealing Draco's," Blaise smirked.

"Bloody bastard," Draco muttered as he handed the ornament that had been Ginny's initially over to Blaise and took the one that last he knew had belonged to Severus...

"You two are going to drive me insane," Kat muttered as she looked around the circle, "Hey, where's..." she began.

"Don't look now Kitty, but you're under the mistletoe!" Daphne Greengrass cried giddily. She was a seventh-year with Draco and Blaise whose family was 'old money' like the Malfoys, a friendship between the two families going back for ages.

"Mistletoe," Kat looked up in disbelief, "How in Merlin's name did that get there..." she looked over at her brother who was looking back at her with complete innocence. Seeing the same look on Blaise's face, she turned her gaze to her godfather, then her father, and then finally with a sinking feeling in her stomach, looked at her intended, to find him smirking at her.

Before she had a chance to say anything else, Tom stepped forward, taking both her hands in his and raising them to his face where he dropped a kiss to the tops of each. Lowering his hands with hers still held fast, to his waist, he pulled her towards him before letting go of her hands and cupping her cheeks, then before she had a chance to snap out of her surprise, he captured her lips with his as Draco and Blaise looked anywhere else, Severus just shaking his head as the others grinned. And while Kat was otherwise occupied, Lucius silently slipped out of the room in search of the red-haired witch they had notice leave when the gift exchange began.

It didn't take Lucius long to find Ginny out in the gardens. She was sitting out on a bench on the edge of the garden, her back towards the house. Making his way towards her he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and transfigured it into a nice warm cloak, which he draped across her shoulders as he stepped up behind her.

Ginny was so lost in her thoughts that she never heard Lucius coming up behind her. She never realized anyone had followed her out until she felt something being draped around her shoulders. Looking up in surprise, she was shocked to find herself looking into Lucius' eyes. "Mr. Malfoy!" she cried in surprise as she jumped to her feet and turned to face him. "I…I'm sorry…I…I never heard you coming…"

"It's alright Miss Weasley," Lucius replied. "I never meant to startle you. I just thought you might be cold. You've been out here for quite a while without your cloak after all."

"I didn't realize…" Ginny said, feeling suddenly nervous as she shuddered with cold.

"It's alright Miss Weasley, that was not a reprimand of any kind. Please sit. I'd like to talk for a few minutes if that's alright," Lucius said.

"Of course," Ginny said turning back around and retaking her seat.

Once Ginny was sitting down, Lucius made his way around the bench and sat down beside her. "I wanted to apologize if I offended you earlier. It was certainly not my intention. When Kitty informed me that you would be joining us I realized that you may not have a suitable dress for the dinner tonight and I wanted to make you feel comfortable, nothing more."

"It's alright Mr. Malfoy; I should be the one apologizing to you. I reacted badly to your kindness earlier and for that I apologize. I've been sitting out here thinking about something Tom said to me earlier and I've come to the realization that he's right. After everything I've been through I've allowed my family's beliefs to become my own and I've lost myself somewhere along the way. I'm no longer the little girl who wanted nothing more than to be accepted, who had secretly dreamt of being in Slytherin. I've allowed myself to become the typical Gryffindor. I'm self-absorbed, arrogant, self-righteous, sanctimonious, conceited and superior."

"You are nothing…"

"Please let me finish?" pleaded Ginny. "I've been denying it but it's true. I've allowed myself to believe that I'm better than you and your family or anyone like you."

"Is that why you returned so many of the gifts I sent?" asked Lucius curiously.

"I think so even though I tried to convince myself it was because I didn't deserve them. It was so hard for me to return what I did. I wanted to keep every piece you ever sent me…well most of it anyway, everything except that last piece of lingerie you sent," Ginny said in embarrassment as she blushed.

"I'm sorry about that. When Kitty told me your reaction to it, that's when she insisted we find you that teddy bear in Paris," Lucius admitted.

"He was adorable," Ginny said. "I'm sorry if I insulted you by returning your presents. I had no idea it was you sending them and I haven't the faintest idea as to why you started or even why you continued to send them but thank you," Ginny said as she stood up. "Will you forgive me?" she asked as she stood in front of him.

"What for?" he asked.

"For this," Ginny said as she bent over, laid her hand on his cheek gently and kissed him lightly for a moment before breaking the kiss and pulling back.

Before she could step away though, Lucius took a hold of her hand just as it was slipping from his face, stopping her in her tracks before she could slip away. "Don't apologize," he said standing up. "Don't ever apologize," he told her as he pulled her into him and kissed her. "We should…" he began a few minutes later breaking the kiss.

"Don't stop…" Ginny said interrupting him as she pulled his face towards her, reinitiating the kiss.

As the kiss continued and deepened, neither Ginny nor Lucius gave any indication that what was currently happening was not what they wanted. When Ginny started giving into his more heated demands, Lucius quickly apparated them to his chambers where they could continue their encounter in private.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Thursday December 25th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The South Wing - Lucius' Chambers  
6:18 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

As Ginny slowly came to she couldn't figure out where exactly she was. She knew that she wasn't at the Burrow or at Headquarters and the sheets she was sleeping on told her she was definitely not at Hogwarts. It took a few minutes for her to remember that she was visiting her best friend and that meant she was actually at the last place she ever expected to be…Malfoy Manor. The one thing she was having problems figuring out was how she had managed to get to bed the night before as she didn't remember actually entering her bedroom…that was until she felt the bed shift behind her and an arm snake around her waist.

With as little movement as possible, Ginny tried to take a look at the man behind her. When she caught sight of long blond hair spread out on the pillow behind her, she bit the inside of her lip to stop herself crying out. As carefully as she could she managed to extract herself from his hold and his bed. Once on her feet, she activated the portkey Kat had given her the night before, allowing herself to be whisked away and deposited in her chambers in the west wing. Once back in her room, she made her way towards her bathroom, ignoring the pain in her body, and filled the cast iron tub with scalding hot water, soothing bath oils and lavender bubbles. Once the tub was filled, Ginny slowly lowered her aching body into the water, enjoying the pain the hot water caused when it touched her body, making her forget about the other pain for a while.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Thursday December 25th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The North Wing - The Downstairs 'Family' Room  
9:27 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Merry Christmas Kitty!"

A distinct growl was the only response to Draco and Blaise's chorused shout as Kat entered the living room before she focused her eyes on the two of them, "It's too bloody early. Goddamn bastards."

"I told you the fireworks in her bedroom at nine were a bad idea," Blaise whispered to Draco.

"She would have slept until one otherwise," Draco hissed back.

"But you would have had a happy sister at one, not one using the furniture as if it doesn't have a distinct style that says you sit between the arms, not on them, and plotting your imminent deaths," Severus countered with a smirk from where he was sprawled in a large chair, still in a black robe and his sleeping clothes, cup of tea in hand.

"You know, you got to admit though Sev, as much as we know that would be damn uncomfortable, she looks quite comfortable. I swear Father picked the right name, she's too cat like for any of our good."

"Considering my name traces back to the goddess Hecate or the Greek word for torture... I'm thinking you might be right," Kat sniffed from her spot in the chair as she stretched her arms out over her head and pointed her toes as she continued her full body stretch, rather much like a cat, then turned in the chair, pulling her legs in so her shins rested against the inside of the arm of the chair her legs had been resting on, her head using the other arm as a pillow, while she reached down to straighten the long 'skirt' of her nightgown over her legs before tucking her hands under her chin as she looked at them. "I hate you, you realize that don't you?"

"We love you too, Kitty Kat," Draco and Blaise chorused once more.

"Are you picking on your sister?" Lucius asked as he entered the room, stopping by the chair to brush a hand over Kat's hair. "You're purring Kitten."

"I'm tired and they were evil and woke me with fireworks, at nine! Smack them or something Daddy, please?"

"You realize you sound like you're bloody three, which is saying something since I wasn't around to witness you at three," Draco pointed out, to which she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Actually, at three Kitty was much more mature than you were, Draco," Severus pointed out, "She never felt the need to give me a nickname like Sev or," he shuddered, "Sevvie. And do stop laughing Lucius," he shot a look at the blonde man as he sat down.

"You have to admit Severus, it was hilarious," Lucius countered with an amused smirk.

"Prat," Severus muttered.

"Is Ginny coming?" Blaise asked, focusing back on Kat.

"I knocked; she never answered so I figured she was enjoying the luxury of sleep. Lacey is going to tell her where we are when she gets up and I left a note under her door," Kat shrugged. "So I guess it's just us for now..."

"Very well then," Severus nodded, "Since I suspect we're not going to be getting our Christmas kitty up and moving anytime soon to hand out gifts..."

"Too early, not moving, too comfy," Kat agreed.

"You look like you're curled between a rock and a hard place, how is that comfortable?"

"I thought you knew by now that I'm scarily flexible as you put it so well when you were five."

"You made it look like you had broken your leg and scared the crap out of me. I thought Father was going to kill me for you getting hurt when you were taking me flying and we weren't supposed to."

"You know I never did understand why you took him flying in the first place," Lucius mused, "Seeing how for some insane reason my daughter hates flying on a broom with a passion."

"Completely crazy in this family," Severus snickered.

"He wanted to go flying," Kat managed to somehow shrug. "Presents?"

"Wonderful attempt at changing the subject Kitten," Lucius rolled his eyes. "I have an idea, if I can get you up from that position without magic, will you actually get up and be the Christmas Cat like always?"

Kat looked at him a few minutes before shrugging, "Fair enough, but good luck."

"Actually no luck needed at all," he chuckled before waving his wand and a large box floated away from the tree towards her. "Merry Christmas Kitten."

"You think giving me a box is going to make me get up?" she teased as she stretched out her arms to undo the ribbons without actually getting up.

"You're slipping Luc," Severus teased as she pulled the top off the box before squealing and sitting up suddenly. "Or not..." he continued, glancing at Lucius curiously.

"Daddy! You're wonderful! Oh thank you!" she grinned as she lifted out the object inside.

"Wait a minute... is that... Hecate's Blood!" Draco managed to jump so he was even further back in his chair, feet off the ground. "You got her a bloody ferret!"

"Isn't she cute?" Kat asked as she turned the animal to look at Draco, "And look she's all silvery-white."

"Looks familiar," Blaise chuckled before quickly moving away from his lover.

"Especially with those blue eyes," Severus continued around a grin he was trying to hide.

"Bloody traitors," Draco muttered. "Fine, fine, you got... that... _thing_. Kindly start sharing the presents so I can be distracted from the evil reminders of the past. Bloody prats," he rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on Dra, he..." she stopped to look closer at the tag on a collar around it's neck, "She's so cute and adorable. She's a sprite you know, nothing like a certain crazy male ferret I heard about," she smirked.

"I'm going to kill you in your sleep, you realize this don't you?" he glared at her.

"You haven't been able to since you tried when you were two," she shot back as she set the female ferret down, pausing only long enough to remove the slip of paper on it's collar. "Alright, Daddy won so, gifts then," she nodded as she summoned her red and white hat, stopping to look at both Draco and Blaise warily before putting it on, then heading over to start sorting gifts.

Lucius and Severus were both fairly certain, even Ginny on the other side of the house could hear the shriek Kat let loose five minutes later when a lock of her hair fell into her face, that was now quite a lovely, well perhaps lovely was the wrong word, shade of hot pink.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Thursday December 25th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – The Hall between Kat and Ginny's Rooms  
11:45 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

Reaching up to push a lock of her still annoyingly pink hair away from her face, Kat looked at the closed door before her, before glancing down at the ferret by her feet, then back up. After another moment she shrugged more to herself before reaching out to knock. "Ginger? You awake yet?"

After a few minutes she looked back down at the ferret that was sniffing at the doorjamb, "Either she's sleeping, ignoring me, or somewhere where she can't hear me, what do you think Angel?" Angel looked up at her before moving off to explore the other side of the hallway. "Well, that was all sorts of helpful," she rolled her eyes before knocking once more, waiting and receiving still no response she moved to grab Angel before unlocking the door and opening it slowly, "Ginger?" she called a bit louder as she looked in, spotting the woman in question in a chair over by the window, well her hair at least was in the chair... Closing the door behind her she set Angel down before leaning against the closed door as the sprite went to explore the new terrain.

"Go away," Ginny said quietly, keeping her gaze out the window to try to hid the fact that she was wiping away tears.

Kat raised an eyebrow before moving around the side of the room so she could clearly see Ginny's profile at least, "Gin? Love what's going on?"

"Just leave me alone."

"Ginger..." Kat sighed, "Is this because of everything yesterday between us? Or something else?"

"I don't care about yesterday. I've accepted the fact that you're a Malfoy…that you're Lucius Malfoy's daughter," Ginny said as she used the side of her hand to wipe away more tears.

"Then what's wrong Ginny?" she asked softly. "Did Tom do something?"

"Nothing other than his comments to me last night."

"What's going on Ginger? Please, talk to me..." she continued gently as she sunk to the floor by the wall where she could still see Ginny.

"You should return to your family Kat, I'm not the best company right now, especially for Christmas day," Ginny said as she rose from the chair by the window and started to make her way across the sitting room towards the bedroom.

"Ginny!" Kat called as she hurriedly rose, "You're part of my family," she continued softly, "No matter what, I'm here when you're ready for company or to talk or whatever alright?"

As Ginny walked into the bedroom she picked up the vase that was sitting on the table just inside the door and threw it as hard as she could across the room, collapsing to the floor as it smashed against the opposite wall.

"Okay, I'm going," Kat agreed before looking for Angel, spotting her she picked her up quickly. "I'll have Lacey bring food," she called over her shoulder before slipping out just in case Ginny felt the urge to toss anything else. "Well, that went well," she looked at Angel who was staring back at her with bright blue eyes.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Thursday December 25th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – The Hall between Kat and Ginny's Rooms  
6:05 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

After Kat's spectacular failure, as she put it while glaring at him and Draco for her still pink hair, in getting Ginny to come to Brunch earlier; Blaise volunteered to be the one to attempt getting her there for Dinner. Which was why he was standing outside her door with just less than half an hour until the meal was suppose to be served. "Well good luck then," he nodded to himself before reaching up and knocking on the door, "Ginny?" he called through the closed door.

"I guess you drew the short end of the stick," commented Ginny quietly as she opened the door, her voice rather hoarse and her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Actually I volunteered," he smiled, "Can I come in?"

"I'm not the best company right now," commented Ginny as she stepped back to allow him to enter the sitting room.

"Well considering I left Draco with his sister who's a bit psychotic over the fact we managed to charm her Christmas cap to turn her hair hot pink, I certainly prefer your company. You're nicer and aren't planning on ways to kill me... at least I think you aren't..." he trailed off.

"Trust me, you're not the one I want to kill right now," Ginny said as she walked over to the couch by the fireplace and curled up in one corner, resting her head on her knees.

Blaise blinked a moment before following Ginny over to the couch and sitting down to face her, "Well that's all sorts of ominous. Can I ask _who_ it is you want to kill?"

"Myself? I screwed up Blaise. I screwed up _big_ time," Ginny said wiping away a fresh tear.

"It can't be as horrible as needing to kill yourself," he frowned before shifting to a more comfortable position, "Want to talk about it?"

"I've ruined everything Blaise. I can barely look at Kat knowing what I did and the Gods only know how she's going to react when she finds out what I've done. I'm beginning to wish I'd never agreed to come here for Christmas because this is turning into possibly the worst Christmas I've ever had," Ginny sniffled.

Blaise stared at her a moment, mind racing with all the possible scenarios that could have happened before going back to the same one that went through his mind again and again. "You slept with Lucius," he surmised.

"I didn't _mean_ to! It...it just…It wasn't supposed to be anything more than an innocent kiss…"

"Ginny, love, there's nothing innocent about a kiss unless it's between family members... and even then there are some that aren't quite that innocent," he smiled. "Now, I'm assuming that Lucius didn't hurt you or any of that such, right?"

"Other than the pain of his being bigger than Harry, no he didn't," admitted Ginny. blushing scarlet.

"Hmm, well if he's anything like his son, thanks for the image of how big Potter is," Blaise chuckled. "Now then, he didn't hurt you, well on purpose, and I'm assuming it was quite the wonderful evening. So that would imply that it's not Lucius you're worried about. So... you really think Kitty is going to have a meltdown, do you?"

"Wouldn't you if your best friend slept with your father? It was one thing to dream about being with him before I learned I was the best friend of his eldest daughter. Gods Blaise, I'm younger than his son for Merlin's sake. If Kat's going to freak, how do you think your lover will react?"

Blaise watched her a moment before leaning forward, "I want you to listen to me Gin, _really_ listen to me," he began softly, "Kitty loves you. I mean, really truly loves you, like a sister she's never going to get. You're her best friend, I've watched for years as she lit up like Draco and I did when we got our first brooms, all over the latest letter from you, and drop just as quickly when she'd remember again that she needed to tell you the truth about her family and was so afraid that you'd abandon her or your family would make you stop talking to her. She was stupid for not saying anything sooner, I'm the first to have told her that over the years, but she didn't. Course, I was the only one that knew who you were until recently..." he trailed off with a slight shrug, "Nothing, _nothing_, you do would make her leave. As for the relationship with Lucius, honestly? I think she would be thrilled. It was no secret to any of us that Lucius never loved Narcissa, she wants him to be happy, and she wants you to be happy, and if being together makes you happy, then she'd be all for it. Same would be true for Draco, the three of them; it was really always them against Narcissa. He wants nothing more than for his father to find happiness and peace, and love. And he likes you Ginny, a lot, you'd be good for Lucius, you could teach him to love, not the love of his children that he knows, but to truly love someone romantically. I think he'd be good for you too, you are meant for so much more than you have been given so far in life. Draco and Kitty would never stand in the way of your happiness, in fact I would bet my family's house in France that they'd be the first to find champagne and who knows what type of decorations to celebrate."

"I don't know if I can face them Blaise," admitted Ginny. "Any of them but Kat and Lucius especially. When I realized where I was this morning the first thing that flashed through my head wasn't 'Oh God, I'm in Lucius Malfoy's bed', it was 'Oh God, I just slept with my best friend's father' and I ran. I climbed out of bed and activated the portkey Kat gave me last night to bring me here. I left everything in his rooms. How can I face him after that?"

"Well, it seems to me you have two choices here Gin. One, you can go down there and face them, perhaps even talk to Lucius when the time is right. Or two, you can avoid him which means you would have to avoid any situation where you might see him, including Kitty's show tonight, her birthday party tomorrow, her wedding in a few months, any other occasions she would want you to be there with her as her best friend, but he could attend too as her father."

"And I thought life with Harry was bad," Ginny sighed. "I don't exactly have anything to wear, either to this dinner or to Kat's show tonight."

"Well wouldn't you know, we're all wearing the same thing to dinner as to the show, and Kat told me to give you this," he produced a brightly wrapped box. "You missed out on gifts this morning, though it's perfectly alright. The only truly wonderful thing you missed was Kitty getting her new ferret, much to Draco's annoyance, and the following race through the house when she tried to get Draco and me for turning her hair such a lovely shade of pink. We promised to take it out after dinner so you will still get to see it in all its glory. Though I think she's a bit miffed at us, muttered something about pink in no way going with red and us being bloody bastards as I snuck away to come here and left Draco to deal with her while Severus was still trying not to fall off his chair in laughter."

"What is it?" asked Ginny taking the box from him.

"Open it and see," he smirked.

Opening the box Ginny discovered a long sleeve v-neck blue top with gold threading throughout and a long black skirt and a pair of matching black heels. "Clothes?"

"Clothes," he smiled, "Now, shall I find Lacey and have her bring you dinner? Or do I get to sit here impatiently counting the minutes because you're taking too bloody long to get ready only to be shocked into silence when you come out of that bedroom all dolled up for a lovely meal and a night at the ballet?"

"Would you mind waiting? I don't think I can go down there alone…"

"Darling, didn't you just get from my little speech that I intended on waiting," he winked. "Go on now, go get all ready until you feel like you're all prettied, even though you're quite pretty enough, and I'll wait here for you."

"What is it with you Slytherins and your never ending stream of flattery?" asked Ginny as she rose and made her way from the sitting room and through her bedroom into her bathroom. "Well?" Ginny asked hesitantly from the doorway to her bedroom half an hour later. She was wearing the top, skirt and shoes Kat had given her along with a light dusting of make up. She wore the jewellery she had taken to wearing on a regular basis; that being her claddagh ring on her right middle finger, her charm bracelet and the diamond solitaire that hung down between the v-neck of her top. Her hair was hanging straight and loose.

"Gorgeous," he smiled, "Oh and the outfit is nice too," he winked before offering his arm, "Shall we milady?"

"It's now or never so lead the way," Ginny said taking his arm.

"Relax love; everything's going to be fine. Besides, you got the family kitty cat as your protector; I think you're safer than anyone in this place."

"I hope you're right," Ginny sighed as they stepped out of her room.

"Darling, you will learn very quickly, I am _never_ wrong."

"And here I thought Gryffindors were the arrogant ones," Ginny giggled.

"I'm fairly certain the Lions would disagree with you on that one," he winked.

"Trust me, you can't get more arrogant than Ron, Mr. Holier-than-thou-pompous-ass," commented Ginny.

"Truth be, truth be," he agreed, "So, to give you a bit of a warning, the show begins at nine but Kitty has to be there no later than eight so she'll be leaving ahead of us, we're planning to arrive around half past so we can be seated. They're doing a traditional show of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker

"I've always loved his Sleeping Beauty Waltz," Ginny admitted. "It's the one dance I've always wished I could do at my wedding but since I don't see that happening anytime soon…"

"Well, you never know, now do you?" Blaise smiled. "After all, who ever saw Kitty marrying Tom after all? We all figured she'd be single forever since she had no desire for dating."

"Yes well, Kitty and her father have connections I could never even dream of having so we're not going to talk about this anymore," Ginny said plastering a smile on her face as they neared the dining room.

"Since I forgot to say it earlier, Happy Christmas Ginny," he smiled before opening the dining room door just in time to catch Kat casting a charm on Draco that turned his hair a lovely shade of bright green.

"Well that's a colour I never wanted to see on my lover," Blaise mused as Draco whirled towards them.

"Blaise! Make her take it off!"

"Not until my hair turns its natural blonde again. I may be the bloody Sugar Plum Fairy, but I am not doing so in pink hair!" Kat shot back as she crossed over to them, "I know, I must look a sight, pink hair and a red dress, bastards," she rolled her eyes, "You look wonderful, and Happy Christmas Ginger!" she grinned as she stopped in front of them.

"Happy Christmas," Ginny replied. "And I think it suits you Draco. You are the Slytherin Prince after all."

Draco glared at her, "Green may be my signature colour, but only in shades ranging from emerald to the darker side of the spectrum. _This_ is not my colour."

"And pink is mine?" Kat rolled her eyes. "My school colours were green and gold, you prat."

"I see Ekaterina finally got her revenge Draco," Severus smiled as he entered the room. "Happy Christmas, Ginevra," he continued to her. "You look lovely."

"Thank you Professor," Ginny replied. "There are advantages to being in a house that has a colour that already matches your hair."

Severus chuckled while Draco rolled his eyes and Kat just grinned. "Shall we then?" Kat asked with a smile as she quickly linked arms with Ginny, "You're seated between me and Severus, across from dear Blaise. We're not doing a formal dinner tonight so none of that you can't sit next to your significant other nonsense."

"But that means I'm directly in her line of fire," Draco whined.

"Relax, I'd never do anything in front of Daddy," Kat countered as they moved to the table and stopped next to two chairs on the side of the table as Draco and Blaise took their spots across from them, Severus to be at the end between Blaise and Ginny.

"Lucius will be a minute, he was taking care of a few things," Severus explained as he moved behind the two and pulled out their chairs, Kat's first and then Ginny's.

"Thank you Professor," Ginny said as she sat down. "Excuse me Professor but can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly Ginevra," he smiled as he sat down, placing his napkin across his lap.

"How much do you know about how the sorting hat works?"

"No one quite understands how the Sorting Hat works. From what is known, it belonged to Godric Gryffindor and was designed to place the students where they best belonged. On the other hand, I personally believe the Hat takes into account other factors such as the student's wish, or if there is mediating factors outside of it such as a strong family history I'm afraid. Your own family for example, Percival would have been a much better Ravenclaw in some ways than a Gryffindor, while Fredrick and George would have been wonderful, true Slytherins. But the Weasley family has been solely Gryffindor for two generations prior to your siblings and yourself coming to the school, the Hat probably recognized that while your three brothers would have been better suited in another house, it might not have been best for them in the eyes of their family. And like it was with Sirius Black, anything but the one house could cause great consequence for them. But again, that is only my beliefs in regards to the Hat; you would have to ask it I suppose if you want to really have any understanding of how it works."

"But why would one student's house desire out weigh that of another?"

"Mediating factors, one student might simply beg to be placed in this house instead of that, and have no ties to the house he or she is trying to get away from. The other while not wanting a certain house, could have strong family ties to it, or some other ties. The Hat I assume takes all of that into consideration."

"So because my family is all Gryffindor it ignored my wishes not to be a Gryffindor while Harry, whose parents were also Gryffindor, got his wish to not be a Slytherin even though that's where the hat initially wanted to place him? Why does that seem completely unfair?"

Severus exhaled slowly as he sat back, "You're right, it does seem unfair. Especially..." he trailed off shaking his head.

"Perhaps, perhaps it didn't want to place Harry in Slytherin for any reason except his connection to Tom," Kat suggested, "So when he begged to have Gryffindor, it gave it to him because his parents were there, and if memory serves me, all the Potters have been in Gryffindor going back generations. But in your case, you wanted Slytherin, but the Hat was considering that while your family hasn't been solely Gryffindor until the last three generations, your family would be quite unhappy, and you had enough Gryffindor qualities that it wasn't a bad placement per se, but at least one that wouldn't have heaven knows what happening if you weren't a Gryffindor?"

"If Gryffindor was such a great place I wouldn't have fallen prey to Tom's diary because maybe just maybe I would have had a friend to confide in or a head of house that might have listened to me when I told them about the diary in the first place," countered Ginny.

"Sweetheart, none of us here consider Gryffindor to be that great a place so... believe us, we totally agree with you in that regard. But sadly we don't get to tell the Hat what to do, it's annoying that way," Blaise shrugged. "Unfortunately Sev's right, I think the only one you'll be able to actually find out why from would be the Hat."

"Bloody annoying Gryffindor's hat you mean," Ginny mumbled dejectedly. "Gods, I wish I'd gone to Durmstrang."

"Actually personally I'd recommend Beauxbatons," Kat smiled.

"Ha, I wanted to go to Durmstrang, there's nothing wrong with it," Draco pointed out.

"They accepted you, didn't they," Kat looked over at him.

"Exactly!" he nodded.

"That wasn't a compliment," Blaise chuckled lightly.

"Are you picking on your brother again Kitten?" Lucius asked as he entered the room and Kat reached over quickly to catch Ginny's hand and keep her from rising. "Happy Christmas everyone," he smiled as he sat down and the table was suddenly covered with food.

"Well, that was timed perfectly," Severus drawled, "Must have realized your son would start eating without you or something."

"Hey!"

"You can't deny it lover," Blaise teased as Draco rolled his eyes.

"Draco, why is your hair green?" Lucius asked after a moment.

"_She_ did it."

"He deserved it."

"Is it just me Severus or do those two always seem to make you feel like they're still in need of nannies?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about Luc," Severus countered before turning to Ginny, "Would you like something to drink?" he asked as Draco and Kat both turned on their father for his comment.

"Some orange juice if there is any please Professor, I absolutely can't stand the taste of pumpkin juice. It reminds me too much of my brother's hair," Ginny shuddered at the thought.

Kat and Draco fell silent in their argument with Lucius and slowly turned their heads in exact unison towards her, identical looks of horror upon their faces. "Oh Gods!" Kat shuddered.

"Merlin's blood..." Draco did the same before looking at Kat. "I'll never be able to drink Pumpkin Juice again at school."

"I never could understand how you did drink it," Kat countered with another shudder. "Although... that would be a lovely prank to pull I suppose..." she mused.

"Plot another time, that way I can honestly claim no knowledge," Severus rolled his eyes as he summoned a pitcher of orange juice and poured a glass for Ginny. "Bit scary isn't it, whenever you get undeniable proof that they're siblings in their expressions and mannerisms."

"Definitely scary, oh and Draco, at least you don't have to watch Ron eat," Ginny shuddered once more.

"Actually, rather sadly I've been able to witness that atrocity from across the room a few times," Draco shuddered.

"Oi, trying to eat loves, and picturing your brother eating doesn't help much with that I'm afraid Ginny girl," Blaise shuddered just as the shudder his lover was going though finished.

"At least _**you've**_ only witnessed it _**across**_ the hall," countered Ginny as she turned her attention towards her food. "By the way Blaise, is your offer still good?"

"Certainly. In fact I'm fairly certain we can convince the lovely birthday girl to postpone that insane shopping trip in Paris tomorrow for a few hours."

"What? Why are we convincing me to postpone a shopping trip?" Kat looked up confused.

"Blaise and I want to take you flying."

"Flying..." Kat stared at Draco a moment before looking at her father and Severus who were both staring rather intently at their plates. "You two better not bring cameras," she pointed between the two older men.

"Wouldn't dream of it Kitty Kat," Severus smirked.

"Lacey's on it," Blaise muttered under his breath so only Severus and Ginny caught it.

"Oh well, sounds good to me," Kat shrugged.

"Thanks Kat," Ginny said after swallowing her laughter at Blaise's comment. "Blaise offered his and Draco's assistance to help me over my fear of flying."

"Ahh, and here I thought they were just going to torture me," she chuckled.

"We'd never!" Blaise and Draco chorused in identical shocked voices.

"Well, much," Draco added with a shrug.

"Aren't they just annoying at times?" Kat looked at Ginny.

"You don't have to go to school with them," Ginny said pointing between the two in question.

"If you don't mind my asking Ginevra, but why are you afraid of flying all of a sudden? From what Draco's told me, you're Gryffindor's star chaser," questioned Lucius curiously.

"It's due to the accident at the first match of the season, Mr. Malfoy," Ginny replied, not quite meeting his gaze. "As I blacked out I felt myself fall from my broom. I guess you could say it's more a fear of falling than flying."

"A very unfortunate _accident_ that one," Severus agreed quietly, "And it's a perfectly understandable fear, it took us three weeks to get Luc on a broom after he fell, what was it, two hundred feet once?" he looked across the table. "Probably would have done it on his own given more time but... the Slytherins were impatient to have their captain back and actually tied him to the broom," he continued the tale as Kat snickered into her wine.

"They _tied_ you to your broom?" asked Ginny in disbelief looking at Lucius before turning back to Severus. "They _tied_ him to his broom?"

"Well, you see it happened the last match before the finals and we were going up against Gryffindor and they were the first time we had competition in a number of years with both James Potter and Sirius Black playing for the first time that year. I think that's a great deal why Gryffindor had a winning streak the following year until those two left school, well that and we lost Luc that year," he glanced across the table at Lucius who was rolling his eyes. "Anyway, they were rather upset about him not wanting back on a broom with such an important match coming and took matters into their own hands."

"I seem to recall _you_ helping them," Lucius grumbled.

"Well yes, I couldn't very well let them tie you to the broom and the ties come undone halfway up or something now could I?" Severus grinned.

"At least Harry didn't listen to Ron when he suggested the same thing, although I don't know why he suggested it in the first place since he likes it better with me not playing. I still can't believe he thought it was stupid of Draco to give up the snitch to save me."

"Because he's a prat?" Draco suggested dryly.

"I would say it's because young Ronald doesn't seem to realize that there are things more important than games, such as the wellbeing of a friend, team-mate, fellow student, and most importantly in this case, a sibling," Lucius continued, looking over at Draco with a hint of pride in his eyes.

"You are _not_ tying me to my broom…either one of you," Ginny ordered looking between Blaise and Draco. "Got it?"

"Got it," they chorused.

"Besides, she'd kill us," Draco pointed at Kat who was still hiding behind her wine.

"Only after I got through with you," Ginny said. "Remember what happened the last time you tried to cross me?"

"_That_ was genius," Blaise chuckled.

"Still wish I'd seen that one," Kat giggled.

"Heard it was quite the sight," Severus agreed with a smirk.

"Not to change the subject or anything but was I seeing things earlier Kat? Was that really a…a ferret I saw with you?" Ginny asked trying to stifle her giggles.

"Oh! You did see Angel!" Kat grinned as she turned towards her. "Daddy finally got me a ferret, she's so cute. Draco of course is quite upset with all of us," she looked over at him with a smirk.

"Bloody evil people."

"I honestly can't blame him. Professor Moody or Crouch Jr., whichever you want to call him, was quite harsh when he did that. McGonagall was livid. I've never seen her that mad before…or since," replied Ginny.

"Well she wasn't quite as angry as Luc..." Severus shrugged. "I honestly thought you were going to hit Thomas..."

"Why he had Crouch Jr. of all people..." Lucius rolled his eyes.

"I hate to abandon this lovely trip down memory lane, but I have to run," Kat said as she caught sight of the clock on the mantle. "See you guys after the show and no eating all of desert," she shot a look at Draco and Blaise as she rose.

"Enjoy yourself Kitten, we'll see you after," Lucius smiled as Kat stopped to drop a kiss to his forehead before moving past Ginny, pausing to catch her hand before slipping out of the room.

"Well, that would probably be our cue to have desert, unless you think we should wait until after the show," Severus glanced up at Lucius after she was gone.

"Either I suppose..." he offered.

"If Ginny doesn't mind, I say we wait, and no, you don't get a say," Blaise looked at Draco who rolled his eyes.

"I'm fine with waiting, that way Kat gets her fair share," Ginny said with a glare at Draco.

"What did I do!" he glanced at the others at the table, "I wasn't going to say no for heaven's sake..."

"Of course you weren't Draco," Severus teased as he rose, "Well, if you'll excuse me then, I believe I have a few things to do before we go. I shall meet you in the parlour when it's time to go," he explained before silently making his way from the table.

"Poor man has to check in," Draco muttered as he and Blaise rose, Blaise quickly moving around to pull Ginny's chair back. "Come on lover, I need you to help me find that ornament we got for Kitty for tonight."

"Will you be alright?" Blaise whispered to Ginny as he helped her stand.

"I'll be fine. I'm just going to go back upstairs for a bit," Ginny replied as she started out of the room with Draco and Blaise.

"Ginevra…" Lucius called out as everyone was making their way out of the dining room. When Ginny stopped and turned towards him he continued, "May I have a word with you in private for a moment?"

"Of course," Ginny replied quietly, turning to Blaise and indicating for him to go on without her.

"Will you be okay?" Blaise asked quietly in concern turning back with her.

"I'll be fine," Ginny reassured, whether she was trying to reassure him or herself she couldn't tell. When the others had left, Ginny made her way back over to where Lucius was standing near the fireplace.

"Ginevra, about last night…"

"Yes about that…"

"I was under the impression that everything that happened between us…well happened because you wanted…we wanted it to…"

"I did want it…I _do_ want it…Gods Mr. Malfoy…"

"Lucius," he said interrupting her.

"What?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"I think after last night, it's all right if you call me Lucius," he explained as he closed the distance between them.

"Oh, all right then Lucius…" Ginny trailed off as her body started reacting to the fact that Lucius was now standing less than a foot from her. "Uh, where was I?"

"I believe you were saying how you did want it…how you still want it…" he whispered in her ear as his hands lifted up and began gently caressing Ginny's arms.

"Right…I did and do want this…whatever it is…I've wanted it since that day at the Ministry…"

"I never did thank you properly for that you know," Lucius said as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Uh huh…"

"So, why did you run this morning? Did I disappoint you that much?" he asked as he pulled back slightly so he could look Ginny in the eyes, causing her to whimper quietly at the loss of his attentions.

"Gods no…It was better than I ever dreamed…"

"Then why? Did you think I would throw you out because after last night you had to know that wouldn't be the case," he said cupping her cheek, his thumb rubbing her cheek gently.

"I was afraid…"

"Of what? Of me? Of how I'd react come waking up to find you in my bed? Trust me Ginevra, had I not wanted you there I never would have taken you back to my rooms. No woman, not even Narcissa ever set foot inside those rooms with the exception of Kitty…"

"It was her. She's the one I was afraid of," admitted Ginny.

"Kitty?"

Ginny nodded. "I was afraid of how she'd react to learning that I'd …that we'd …"

"And now?" Lucius asked as he leant in once more and returned his attentions to the sensitive spot just behind Ginny's earlobe, eliciting another whimper from the young redhead.

"Blaise convinced me that she wants both of us to be happy and if that meant us being together than she'd be fine with it," explained Ginny a little breathlessly as Lucius began caressing her arms once more.

"Just say the word Ginevra and I'll never touch you again," Lucius told her as he laid kisses along her jaw line. "Just say stop and I'll…"

"Don't stop…" Ginny's words trailed off as Lucius kissed her, pulling her body flush with his own as he wrapped her tightly in his arms.

"Ahem..." the distinct sound of a throat clearing pulled them apart some time later. "Sorry to interrupt," Severus continued softly, but with a smile, "But it's forty of and we need to be leaving in ten minutes..."

"Oh, this is embarrassing," Ginny grumbled as she buried her now scarlet face in Lucius' chest.

"You should probably freshen up before we leave," Lucius suggested as he led Ginny over to the doors leading to the hall. "We'll finish this later," he whispered as he kissed her gently on the forehead before sending her on her way.

Severus chuckled gently, "I'll see both of you in the parlour," he spoke before turning, pausing as he was almost out the doorway, "And congratulations, both of you," he continued before disappearing.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Thursday December 25th, 1997  
London, England  
The Pantages Theatre  
The Lobby  
11:15 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"So, what did you think?" Blaise asked with a smile as they waited near the stairs that had led to the private box seats the five had sat in during the performance.

"Kat was amazing," Ginny said from her spot next to Lucius, his hand resting on her lower back.

"I wonder where she is…" Draco looked off as he noticed another member of her production company had appeared.

"I would imagine she is still getting changed, or else perhaps the other member of the audience who came solely to see our Kitty perform, took a chance to see her before she joined us," Severus countered quietly. "Besides Draco, the show only ended fifteen minutes past."

"Are we looking for someone," Kat's voice asked from on the stairs behind Blaise, causing Draco and Blaise to jump three feet.

"How did you get back there?" Draco turned on her as she just stood there and grinned at them.

"I've been performing here since I was five years old my dear brother, I know all the secret passages," she replied before slipping between them to come to where Lucius, Ginny, and Severus stood. "Did you enjoy it?" she asked Ginny with a smile.

"Very much so, you were fantastic," Ginny smiled in return.

"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it."

"You were wonderful Kitten," Lucius agreed with a smile as Severus produced the bouquet of red roses they had brought.

"Thank you Daddy, thank you Papa Taliesin," she reached up to hug both of them.

"Where'd you get the white rose in your hair?" Draco asked curiously after he and Blaise both managed to get a hug when she broke away from Ginny.

"Thomas," she answered simply as she reached up to touch the flower in her once more blonde locks. "But, I do believe we have presents to be opened still at home... shall we?"

"Certainly," Severus agreed as he offered his arm to her. "Why don't the four of you go ahead and I'll escort Kitty out and we'll join you."

"We'll have desert ready and waiting," Blaise agreed with a smile.

"You are Gods," Kat grinned at them. "See you in a bit then, definitely run while you can."

"Bye," Ginny said with a wave before turning around and finding Lucius waiting for her. After a slight hesitation, she took his arm and allowed him to lead her from the theatre.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Friday December 26th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The Lawn behind the South Wing  
9:28 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"It's too early to be on a bloody broom!" Kat shrieked as her broom rose a few feet higher off the ground.

"I don't think I can do this," Ginny hesitated as she looked at her new broom, a gift from Lucius for Christmas.

"Want to try riding with Kat for a bit first? Or with me or Dra?" Blaise suggested, "You don't have to do this yet Ginny."

"He's right Ginger," Kat called as she floated back to the ground and planted her feet firmly. "We could even say get you back in the air first on a horse if you want to try that route..."

"I think I trust the horse even less," admitted Ginny nervously.

"Do you trust me?" asked a voice from behind her causing her to spin around to face the one the voice belonged to and coming face to face with Lucius.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you trust me not to let you fall?" he asked her.

"Ride with you?" she asked. "Al…alright," she said when he nodded.

Lucius walked over to where Ginny was standing holding her broom, gently taking it from her hold and mounting it, holding out his hand towards her.

Tentatively Ginny reached out and took Lucius' offered hand and allowed him to manipulate her so she was sitting on the broom in front of him, tucked protectively between his arms, his hands over hers on the broom as he kicked off and they rose only a few feet into the air.

"Don't even think about it," Kat looked at Blaise and Draco who raised their hands before kicking off and rising into the air to lazily move about without getting too close to Lucius and Ginny. Kat meanwhile summoned a camera and with a quick prayer kicked off so she was even with her father and friend, snapping a few pictures while their attention was elsewhere.

A short while later Lucius touched down, he wanted to keep the flying simple and low key for her today. She was not only having to get over her fear caused by her near death fall earlier in the school year but it was a brand new racing broom he had gotten her and it would take her some time to get used to it. He didn't know why but it felt right to have the young redhead in his arms and thus he was reluctant to let her go.

"Thank you," Ginny said shyly once their feet were firmly back on the ground.

"My pleasure Ginevra," Lucius replied, his lips close to her ear.

"Alright Daddy I'm stealing your broom rider," Kat announced as she bounced over.

Ginny couldn't keep the blush out of her cheeks at her friend's words knowing she didn't mean them the way Ginny's mind had decided to interpret them as she climbed off the broom.

"I'll have it returned to your rooms Ginevra," Lucius said indicating the broom in his hand.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Come on Gin, there are shops in Paris calling our names, can you hear them?" Kat asked before adopting a French accent, "Ginny... Ginny..."

"They're calling you Kat, not me," countered Ginny. "I'm only along for the ride remember."

"Oh!" Kat rolled her eyes, "Oh ye of hard hearing. Pariee doesn't call only one person, it calls every person! The chocolate alone," she swooned dramatically.

"And how exactly am I supposed to pay for all these wonderful chocolates you keep going on about?"

"Daddy! She's obviously not been paying attention to anything I've said about my birthday gift from you for the last few months. Will you _please_ explain it to her?" Kat turned to Lucius, hands clasped under her chin with her eyes huge, her expression every bit resembling a puppy dog actually.

"Kitten, breathing is a good thing, my love," Lucius chuckled as he tapped her nose with his finger before turning to Ginny. "I promised Kitty quite some time ago that for her birthday she could go on a shopping trip for herself and one person of her choosing, which at the time all she would say was she wanted to take her mysterious best friend Draco and I have been trying to get her to tell us the name of for years actually. So, on that note, the shopping trip I had planned for today included buying anything Kitty _and_ her best friend wanted. Which means you must buy at least one thing for yourself Ginny, but feel free to buy much more."

"Huh?" asked Ginny bewildered. "But…_huh_?"

Before Ginny could splutter further, Lucius walked over to her and gently tilted her head back and laid a tender kiss on her lips. "Go, spend my money. It's alright," he told her when he broke the kiss a few minutes later.

"Okay," Ginny said dreamily, a silly smile on her face.

"Thanks Daddy!" Kat grinned, grabbing Ginny's hand and promptly apparating with her back into the house. "Okay, fifteen minutes to change and meet back in the hallway deal?"

"Okay," Ginny said, still slightly dazed. Lucius had a tendency to do that to her she was finding. Turning she walked out of Kat's sitting room and across into her own rooms to get changed out the Quidditch robes she had received as a present along with her new racing broom.

By the time Ginny got back into the hall, Kat was nearly dancing in place with excitement, and she grabbed Ginny's hand. "Now this is going to be a bit longer than normal apparition, but don't panic. Crossing the Channel makes it a bit longer than average, but nowhere near as long as it takes to apparate to say Italy or Greece. And Russia... that takes a good ten minutes in transit. But trust me, never apparate to the States; it takes a bloody house to get from England to New York City."

"I'll take your word for it," replied Ginny.

"Give it a few years, you'll probably get to experience it first hand," Kat smiled. "So, ready then?"

"As I'll ever be," Ginny smiled in return. "Let's go spend your father's millions."

"Oh most certainly," Kat smiled before apparating them both to her favourite boutique.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Friday December 26th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The North Wing – The Informal Dinning Room  
8:05 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

After nearly eight hours roaming around Paris, and honestly not doing an exceptional amount of shopping though Ginny found a great number of bags waiting in her rooms when they got back just the same, the two returned to England still giggling over the outfit they had seen one Pansy Parkinson trying on at their last stop.

Not minutes after they arrived, Blaise had appeared at Ginny's door to take her down so they could 'surprise' Kat, who twenty minutes after she opened the door to the dinning room as instructed by a note, only to have Ginny, Blaise, Draco, Lucius, Severus, and even Tom yell out 'Surprise!'

"You guys!" Kat giggled as she looked around the dinning room Draco and Blaise had decorated. There were small firework bursts going off here and there as, by some miracle it seemed, the two had actually picked her favourite colours of emerald and blue, the colour just before the night's sky went completely black, though of course there was more emerald decorations than blue, with the silver and gold accents. She had merely shaken her head while hugging them, before moving around to hug the others.

"Happy Birthday," Ginny said as Kat hugged her.

"Thank you Ginger," Kat smiled as she stepped back. "So, do you think along with getting my favourite colours straight for once, they remembered a chocolate cake?"

"I guess we'll have to find out," Ginny replied.

"I think they're plotting something lover, they've been talking far too much over there," Draco glanced at Blaise.

"She's merely telling me how Moody turned you into a ferret in case I want to attempt it," Kat countered with a wink to Ginny before making her way towards Severus, who was next to the cake.

"Don't you dare!"

"And don't you dare touch that cake!" Blaise echoed.

"Good evening Ginny," Tom spoke softly from where he had appeared next to Ginny.

Even though she knew he would be there, actually finding herself face to face with Tom once more after his words from two nights before, she wasn't quite prepared to see him and stepped back slightly, only to feel a hand slide around her waist as Lucius stepped up behind her, closing the gap between them. "Hello Tom," she said quietly, not sure how he would treat her this evening.

"I wanted to apologize for the other night," he continued softly, "It was out of line for me to speak that way to you at the time, and in such a manner. Though I will admit I'm afraid I can't apologize for the things I was trying to convey to you... I shouldn't have gone about it as I did."

"While your method and your words did offend me, I do understand what you were trying to do," Ginny said. "But you'll have to forgive me if my trust in you is not what it once was."

He tilted his head as he regarded her a moment before smiling softly, "My dear girl, if you trusted me as you used to, I'm afraid I would be very much afraid. The younger version of me that you met, well to be honest there are a great many things about him I regret. I would hope instead you might give me a chance to get to know you now, and for you to get to know me as I am today. Perhaps we can learn to be friends once more, at the very least for Katia's sake," he nodded across the room where Blaise was leading Kat away from the cake once more only to have her slip out of his arms and head back towards the cake. "And as an even greater gift; that we might become friends for ourselves."

"Time. I need time. I'm still getting used to all this…"

"Then time you shall certainly have from me," he agreed with a smile. "And on that note, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go distract my fiancé from her cake..." he nodded at her then Lucius before making his way across the room.

As soon as Tom turned away from them Ginny stepped away from Lucius and made her way across the room to the windows on the far side, Lucius following behind her.

"Are you alright?" Lucius asked quietly as he stepped up behind Ginny, resting his hands on her shoulders as he looked at her through her reflection in the window.

"Everything's just moving really fast and I feel like I'm being dragged along for the ride," Ginny sighed.

"Do you want to slow things down between us?"

"It's not that Lucius," she replied as she lifted her right hand and placed it on his left on top of her shoulder. "I've wanted this…us…for longer than I can remember…"

"Then what?" he asked turning her around.

"It's learning Kat's your daughter, Blaise and Draco and Professor Snape are not the people I always believed them to be and…"

"And Tom," Lucius finished for her.

"And Tom. I don't know what to make of him. Even though his memory did what it did to me, I still trusted him…thought he was my friend and then his words to me the other night…and now this…"

"Shh…it's alright Ginevra, it will take some time to adjust to everything," Lucius said as he pulled her into his arms.

"Can I stay with you tonight? I suddenly don't want to be alone…"

"Of course," Lucius assured her.

"Hey!" Kat's shriek drew their attention, and they glanced over to see Kat being physically moved away from the cake by Draco who had thrown her over his shoulder. "It's chocolate!"

"With fudge frosting and raspberry filling, but you're still not having any until you manage to blow out twenty-five candles."

"Twenty-_five_!"

"You do realize she's only twenty-four..." Tom pointed out as he gently plucked Kat from Draco's arms and set her down.

"One would think you'd want to go along with saying she's twenty-five, Tom" Severus teased lightly.

"Yes we all know my fiancé is for all intents and purposes robbing the cradle," Kat waved her hand as she tried to weave away and head back towards the cake.

"No, you don't," Tom grabbed her by her waist and easily lifted her up into his arms, "Do I have to sit down somewhere and hold you hostage?"

"But it's _chocolate_," she pouted as she looked at him, arms crossed over her chest.

"Seriously Tom, best of luck to you," Draco chuckled before one of the green streamers wrapped itself around his head so he looked rather like a mummy.

"Is he saying something you think?" Kat looked over at Blaise after a series of noises came from Draco.

"Likely," he agreed.

"What do you think Daddy; did he say something that made a bit of sense?"

"I'm sorry Kitten, were you saying something?" asked Lucius as he pulled his attention away from the young redhead currently nestled in his arm.

"Don't worry Daddy, Draco's just being annoying and denying me chocolate."

"In other words, he's risking his life again," Severus supplied.

"Luc, how did you not teach your son that denying women chocolate is like walking to the executioner with your own axe?" Tom asked as he produced a box of truffles and after setting Kat in a chair, handed them to her, to which she merely squealed, took one, then sent the box floating across the room where it bumped into Draco's head then continued across the room to float next to Ginny as Blaise helped Draco remove his 'wrappings'.

"I blame _that_ on his mother," countered Lucius as he watched Ginny take one of the truffles from the box.

"Well, we all knew that's where Dra got his stupidity from," Kat teased before ducking a streamer that came flying at her. "No attempting to kill the birthday girl, I'll come back to haunt you as a ghost and you'll never be rid of me."

"Oh Gods, Blaise she threatening me with ghostly antics! Save me!" Draco begged while the others laughed.

"You think I want her haunting _me_?"

"Ha! He's more scared of me than you!" Kat smirked.

"Is that really a good thing?" Blaise asked curiously.

"Considering she's marrying supposedly the scariest man in the world, probably," Severus shrugged. "But if you would stop provoking your sister and you would stop provoking your brother... I do believe there are presents which might distract my favourite feline from that cake over there."

"Presents?" Kat looked up expectantly.

"That worked," Blaise chuckled as Lucius led Ginny to a free chair at the table near Kat, and sat down next to her. "Fetch the presents lover."

"What am I? The Royal butler?"

"For today," Kat agreed with a smile as Draco rolled his eyes and went to gather the few packages.

"For milady," Blaise smiled as Draco set one of four presents in front of her, "From both of us," he continued with a smile.

"Thank you, milord," Kat smiled at him before carefully pulling at the ribbons and opening the box. "Oh you two..." she breathed as she reached in and lifted out a pale peach coloured shoe, unravelling the ribbons wrapped around it, "Should I be concerned you know my size? And that you got me new ones when everyone knows I'm planning to retire?"

"Well, just because you're planning to officially retire doesn't mean you'll give it up. And besides, you should have a new pair for the new stage in your life. That and we couldn't resist, they're charmed with cushioning spells and such so no more of that sitting with your feet in water for a few hours after a show or practice," Blaise smiled.

"In other words, no more saying you can't go flying because your feet are killing you from your pointe work," Draco winked, ducking the lid that flew at his head. "Volatile isn't she?" he glanced at Ginny.

"Don't make me summon my currently in use pair of pointe shoes so I can throw them at you," Kat threatened.

"And keep me out of the firing line," countered Ginny.

"Don't worry, he'll be good," Blaise spoke up quickly, clapping his hand over Draco's mouth while sending the next package floating across the table to Kat, who merely rolled her eyes before opening it.

"I took a chance you hadn't gotten one yet," Severus explained with a smile when she pulled out the leather-bound book.

"Not yet, thank you Papa," she smiled at him as she traced her fingers over the gold embossed words that read 'Camelot Meadow' with '1998' embossed underneath.

"You're welcome, Kitty Kat," Severus smiled back.

"Just don't go naming one of the poor Stallions born this year after him in thanks."

"Learn to keep your mouth shut Dra, I kind of like your head in one piece you know," Blaise rolled his eyes.

"And moving on before she tosses another possibly dangerous weapon at you two," Severus rolled his eyes as he floated the next box towards Kat.

"Well, I certainly don't need a card to know who managed to get me these," she grinned as she looked up at Ginny. "And I already have plans for them and the rest of vacation."

"What did you get?" Draco tried to sit up to see the box she quickly put the lid back on.

"None of your business, oh nosy one."

"Hey! Come on, tell me!" he stuck his lower lip out slightly as his eyes got huge, "Please? You can tell your most favourite brother in the world."

"Hmm true," Kat mused as she looked over at Ginny, "That means I should probably introduce you to him so I can show him next time he's around."

"_Hey_!"

"Hay is for horses or didn't your sister teach you that," countered Ginny with a smirk.

"Good one," Kat grinned at Ginny before sliding the box holding the gift Ginny had given her, of prototypes of her brothers' new works, towards her, "Guard that please, we have planning to do later you and I."

"Okay, now I'm scared. You just had to aggravate her didn't you," Blaise looked at Draco before moving his chair away from him.

"Hey!" he looked at Blaise before looking at Ginny, "And yes, she did, regardless though, stun me."

"Well, I can see the rest of the holidays should be rather interesting," commented Lucius, who had managed to get a peek inside the box that was now sitting in front of her.

"Oh most certainly Daddy," Kat grinned as the final box appeared in front of her and she pulled apart the ribbons so slowly she might have been actually tying them back together again when no one was looking, save for the fact Draco at least was staring straight at her without blinking.

"Oh for Merlin's sake woman! Opening your last gift isn't going to make your birthday over! Hurry it up already!" he snapped before reaching up quickly to cover his head as his chair rose at an alarming rate towards the ceiling. "Alright! Alright! I'm sorry! Let me down... _please_?" he continued in a small voice as he pushed against the ceiling with his hands.

"You'd think he'd learn after doing that to her every year since he was born, he even used to throw things at her as a baby when she took too long,"

Severus rolled his eyes. "You did too, you know," he looked pointedly at Blaise who was snickering into his fist.

"I was one, I can hardly be held accountable for that anymore. And Kitty knows I have no problem with her taking her time with her last gift."

"Traitor!" Draco cried before letting out a rather indignant 'oof' as his head hit his hands, which were flat against the ceiling. "Come on Kitty, it's your birthday, you don't want me to have a migraine!"

"Not my fault you're beating your head against the ceiling," Kat countered as she pulled one end of the ribbon out from underneath the box.

"Yes it is," he muttered before his head hit the ceiling again. "Oh come on Kitty! It's me, you're beloved baby brother, beating me up isn't fun!"

"Kind of reminds me of that Muggle game, where they beat a figurine with a stick or something to get candy... Do you know what I'm talking about?" Kat looked over at Ginny curious.

"It's called a pin-gata or something I think," Ginny shrugged.

"That's it!" Kat nodded; "Do I get candy if you hit your head enough times?" she looked up at Draco. "Oh and thank God we aren't Scottish, can you picture him in a kilt up there?" she shuddered, a shudder that passed through Severus, Tom, and Lucius as well while Blaise merely grinned. "Oh Gods, stop that, you're giving me images!" she pointed at Blaise accusingly.

"You're giving _me_ images!" Draco grumbled, "Ow! Alright, alright! I'll give you a pound of your favourite chocolate covered strawberries and the truffles you love so much from that one shop in Paris just let me down!"

"How many truffles?" Kat looked up at him shrewdly.

"Two pounds and I'll even hop over to that Muggle truffle place you like Godive or whatever and get a pound of those raspberry and strawberry ones you like... please, my head is starting to really hurt up here."

"It's Godiva," she pointed out before his chair floated back to the floor and they could see him rubbing at the top of his head lightly.

"Gods Kitty, I pity anyone who ever truly pisses you off someday for whatever reason."

"This is new?" Kat looked between the others curiously, "I thought everyone knew I could be bloody scary, it's an unwritten rule of the family I could have sworn. Know the head of the family going back to the first Malfoy by the age of five, attend a Wizarding School, master the ability to scare small creatures and others by the age of two..." she ticked off on her fingers. "Did you forget to tell him that one Daddy?" she blinked up at Lucius.

"I told him numerous times as a young child but I guess it never sunk in," Lucius mused.

"I'll have you know I can be quite evil!" Draco protested.

"Keep telling yourself that love," Kat reached over and patted his hand much like an adult would to reassure a child.

"Witch!" he shot back.

"Why thank you," she smirked before pulling her hair up in a sort of ponytail with the ribbon she had so carefully removed from her box.

"That _wasn't_ supposed to be a compliment."

"Really?" she looked at him quizzically before looking at Ginny, "Did I suddenly become a Wizard and no one told me?"

"I don't think so," commented Ginny. "And you evil Draco? Since when?"

Draco just gaped at her while making a series of squeaks before closing his mouth and glaring at her, "What is this? Pick on Draco day? I thought it was Kitty's birthday."

"And I can't declare my twenty-fourth birthday, 'Pick on Draco Malfoy Day'? Kat raised one eyebrow exactly as her brother and father were prone to do, before the other followed it eerily like her Godfather two seats away from her.

"Bloody hell," he threw up his hands, "Alright, alright, I give. Pick on me all you want, but I reserve the right for revenge. You don't know _when_, you don't know _where_, but someday..." he pointed at her with a triumphant expression, "I'll _have _my revenge."

"Wow..." Kat began after a few minutes of silence, "I'm actually afraid of that..." she continued seriously.

He stared at her a moment before letting his head fall to hit the tabletop, "How did I loose my evilness and ability to scare people? Why can't I even frighten my own sister a small bit with talk of revenge?"

"There, there love. We always knew we couldn't scare her, after all, she taught us everything we know," Blaise rubbed his back.

"And you forget Draco, I have six older brothers, not much fazes me anymore, not after living with Fred and George," Ginny said.

"True," Draco mumbled into the tablecloth before raising his head.

"You have a red mark, my darling brother," Kat pointed out with a small smile. "So, cake now that I've done presents? Or are you going to be evil and insist on food before desert?"

"I vote for dessert," supplied Ginny with a smile.

"Wait, what was that last gift that you took forever to open! And how in heaven's name do you manage to keep your hair tied back in ribbons when Aunt Bella and any other woman we knew growing up never could?"

"It was a new scrapbook from Tom, and because I'm smart enough to put a holding charm on it," Kat rolled her eyes, "And I agree with my beloved red-haired friend. Give the women chocolate or you might live to regret it..."

"For all of two minutes most likely," Tom added dryly.

"You know you can't kill me, I'm the Malfoy heir," Draco pointed out triumphantly.

Kat just blinked at him before turning to Severus, "Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm marrying a man born just over seventy years ago, and am expected to produce him an heir... Shouldn't my father who is merely in his fourth decade be able to easily have another heir if the need presented itself? Especially considering I believe the oldest wizard to have a child was five years shy of his bi-centennial..."

"That would be entirely correct," Severus agreed biting back a laugh at Tom choking on the drink of wine he had just taken and Draco choking on air it appeared. "Especially when one considers, the Malfoy line already will be passed to your children unless Draco and Blaise decide to have children and unless they don't have two of their own with each of them seeking a surrogate mother, then the child might not inherit the Malfoy claim if it is in fact Blaise's child," he continued nonchalantly as Blaise began choking along with Draco.

"Good point," Kat nodded before turning to Tom who was just starting to get back to a paler shade of purple. "We need to have two children at least, one to inherit the name from your side that you acknowledge and one to lay claim to the Malfoy fortune, just in case," she explained rather matter of fact, sending the poor man turning an interesting shade of maroon as he started choking once more.

"And who exactly is supposed to supply this so called _new_ Malfoy heir for my father?" demanded Draco.

"Well, that would be Daddy's decision I suppose, on the other hand, as I just pointed out to my fiancé, he can help. With me providing an alternate heir that is."

"Since I am still living and breathing and I don't foresee that changing in the near future, I believe that _I_ am still technically the Malfoy heir," commented Lucius. "And it is my decision as to who will lead the family and inherit the wealth after me."

"On that note, could we perhaps get to the matter of food, and not trying to make Blaise and I die from lack of oxygen before I can actually attend my own wedding and he can get around to a bonding ceremony with his love?" Tom asked quietly.

"Wow Kitty, he still wants to marry you after seeing how completely nutters you and I are and your children will likely turn out," Draco mused, back to his cheerful demeanour.

"I fully believe any children Katia and I have will be quite sane."

"Except when their halos slip off of their horns."

"Of course, except then," Tom agreed before looking down at Kat flabbergasted. "What?"

"You mean you haven't noticed the halo that is being held up by my horns that's been slipping tonight while Draco's fell completely off one side and was hanging on just one of his horns?" she looked up at him innocently.

"My future wife has horns... you neglected to warn me of this Lucius," Tom looked over at him.

"They aren't that bad really, just don't prick your finger on one when you're running your hand through blonde locks," Blaise smirked before ducking as Draco swiped at his head.

"Is this a family trait you never told us about Luc?" Severus asked curiously with a gleam to his dark eyes.

"I know nothing about what they're talking about," Lucius admitted, as his hand gently rubbed up and down Ginny's back, teasing her.

"Daddy doesn't have horns, I think he's got a spiked tail instead," Kat nodded seriously.

Tom and Severus turned to look at each other a minute before turning in unison to Lucius, "You've been hiding things!" Severus began.

"Here I thought _I_ was the one people accused of having weird features," Tom agreed with a smirk.

"He doesn't have a tail," blurted Ginny before flushing in embarrassment.

Everyone fell silent a moment as Kat and Draco blinked at each other before Kat began to grin and Draco even grinned a moment before schooling his expression.

"Can we not have the mental image of my father with a tail?" he groaned dramatically.

"Reminds you of _yours_ does it?" Kat smirked.

"Oh bother," Draco waved his wand and the cake suddenly appeared on the table between them with twenty-five lit candles. "_Please_, make a bloody wish so you can have cake."

"Well with such a lovely request as that..." Kat rolled her eyes.

"She can't blow out the candles until she has a song silly," Blaise glanced at him before smiling over at Ginny who had her head still on the table as Lucius rubbed her back. "So, on three milady and gents..."

"_Happy Birthday to you_..." the six began to sing, Ginny lifting her head to join in.

"_Cha cha cha!_" Draco and Blaise put in with a grin before ducking a napkin from Severus.

"_Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear_..." and there it got a bit confusing for a minute as four different versions of her name were sung, "_Happy Birthday to you!_"

"_Cha Cha Cha!_" Draco and Blaise finished before promptly ducking under the table as a dozen or more napkins flew at them from every which way.

Kat glanced at Ginny and smiled before leaning forward to blow out her twenty-five candles, and promptly picked one up carefully to suck the frosting off the bottom.

"That is so gross," Draco groaned as his head appeared; chin resting on the tabletop as the rest of him was still missing.

"Actually lover, if I didn't go for guys, I'd say that's pretty damn sexy," Blaise pointed out, his chin resting on the table next to Draco's.

"Oh gads!" Draco shuddered before pushing Blaise. "Forget me ever kissing you again Zabini. I will never be able to kiss anyone with that image of my sister in my head."

"Oh well," Blaise sighed, "Hey Kitty, is that guy who was your dance partner single again?"

"Mm hmm," she murmured around her third candle, "Gods bless the maker of this cake," she moaned as she held out a candle to Ginny while Draco pounced on Blaise and proceeded to kiss him senseless with the table thankfully blocking any of the others from witnessing and actually knowing for sure what was going on.

"Thanks," Ginny said as she took the candle from Kat and doing as her friend did, sucking the icing off the candle, turning to look at Lucius as she did so.

"Okay, I think it's time for us to eat," Lucius said suddenly.

"Real food first," Tom raised the cake and returned it to the other table.

"Uh!" Kat got out around a candle as she managed to grab another one, "I hate you," she pointed the candle that had just been between her lips at him before turning back to her plate and pouting.

"You know Kitty, this is turning out to be the best birthday you've had in years," Severus chuckled as food began to appear.

"You're just happy because you're getting to enjoy watching your two best friends be tortured," Kat countered before handing her remaining candle over to him, "Do be a dear and do some torturing for me," she winked, his eyes got huge a moment before he rolled them and unlike Kat and Ginny, he merely licked the frosting off, then handed it back after two resounding thumps echoed. "Thank you, I can eat in peace now," she grinned wickedly, "So, what are we doing for New Years Eve?"

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Tuesday December 30th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – Kat's Rooms  
5:05 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

The next few days past quickly for those staying at the Manor for the holidays, there was another flying lesson for Ginny, and Kat even managed to drag Ginny out riding for a short time, on a nice non-Wizarding horse that she assured was most gentle and had been waiting to introduce Ginny to for ages. Draco and Blaise were determined to steal Ginny whenever she wasn't already occupied with Kat during the day, and her nights were spent with Lucius, much, unbeknownst to her, to the enjoyment of the three other permanent residents of Malfoy Manor.

It was however, the last possible thing any smart wizard or witch would want to be responsible for, a quite irate Ekaterina Malfoy who opened her door to the hallway Tuesday morning after a loud ruckus drew her from her sleep, her very warm bed, and to the hall with an equally pissed bird and a ferret who was running into more than a few things in it's half awake state as the two animals followed after her. When the door to Ginny's rooms opened, the two that exited them only needed two seconds to realize they would be wiser to turn and run back the way they'd come when they'd seen her standing in her doorway like some sort of angel of death.

"Fredrick Arthur Weasley! George Albus Weasley!" Kat shrieked as she waved her wand and the two were pulled by their ears back out of Ginny's rooms into the halls. "_What _in the name of all that is holy in this universe _are _you doing making so much _bloody _noise and pulling _me _from my bed at _FIVE _in the Gods be damned morning!"

"We wanted to surprise Gin," Fred began quickly.

"Didn't mean to wake you Kit."

"Honestly we didn't."

"Didn't even realize you'd be across the hall."

"If we had, we certainly wouldn't…"

"Have done the fireworks…"

"Or the sparklers…"

"But you don't by chance…"

"Know where we could find…"

"Our ever so lovely and favourite sister…"

"In the whole wide world?" Fred and George chorused.

"She's your only sister, you dingbats," Kat muttered as she let them fall to the floor. "For Merlin's sake, go bug the house elves for something to eat and make yourself comfortable, I need another three hours of sleep and I'll find her and bring her to visit when I've had them. Until then, eat, plot jokes, sleep in the spare room down the hall, just don't make a sound that will wake me up!" she grumbled as she turned on her heels, nightgown swirling around her strangely similar to Severus' infamous robes at Hogwarts, and stalked into her room as the door slammed shut in their faces.

"Well, that went well," George mused, "We're not dead…"

"That's a good thing…" Fred agreed. "Sleep or plotting?"

"Sleep… then plotting… Sleep first, you woke me up early."

"No, _you_ woke _me_ up early."

"You _both_ woke _me_ up early! And I'm the one who knows two hundred different ways to kill you, without the killing curse!" Kat glared at them from the reopened door. "Shoo! Go away and argue somewhere else or I'll sic Aíne on you."

"Yes ma'am!" they saluted before hurrying down the hall.

"Bloody idiots," Kat grumbled as she made her way back to bed, before stopping and groaning. Stopping long enough to send a letter to warn her father that the twins were here and that she'd be coming to get Ginny around nine, she sent it flying through the house with a wave of her hand to wait for him to wake, and made her way back to her own bed all the while muttering ways to kill a certain pair of red-haired prats.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Tuesday December 30th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The South Wing – Lucius' Rooms  
7:51 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Ginevra…" Lucius called quietly as he shook her shoulder gently.

"Mmm," Ginny mumbled sleepily as she rolled over.

"Open your eyes sleepy head," he teased.

"Don't wanna…"

"And why is that?"

"Cause that means I'm awake and I have to get up and I really would rather stay right where I am in bed with you," Ginny said opening her eyes. "Except you're not in bed…"

"As much as I would like to keep you here in this bed all day and while the other residents of Malfoy Manor would be more than happy to leave us here all day, I'm afraid your brothers may have something else entirely to say about it," Lucius told her.

"My brothers?" asked Ginny in shock as she suddenly sat upright. "What in Merlin's name are they doing here?"

"They're here to see you of course," countered Lucius.

"Wait…which brothers?"

"The twins…"

"Fred and George? But…"

"Let them explain it to you my darling. That is if Kitten hasn't killed them yet…" he mused.

"Why would Kat kill the twins?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"According to the note she sent, they decided to arrive here and set off fireworks in your suite at five this morning, waking Kitten in the process," he explained.

"They set off fireworks?"

"Apparently."

"Then it's a good thing I wasn't _actually_ in the room because then they really _would_ be dead," grumbled Ginny.

"Well then I suggest you get dressed, even though I much prefer you dressed in my sheet, and go and kill your siblings before your best friend gets the chance to do so," Lucius said as he took a hold of Ginny's head and kissed her.

"Do I have to?" asked Ginny breaking the kiss momentarily.

"I'm afraid so," Lucius replied breaking the kiss a few minutes later and standing up. "I'll see you downstairs for breakfast," he said as he made his way out of the room so Ginny could dress.

Grumbling to herself Ginny climbed out of bed and made her way into the bathroom so she could make herself presentable before walking into Lucius' closet and finding something to wear for the day, thankful that Lucius had agreed to let her keep some of her clothes in his closet to make it easier in the mornings by not having to go back to her rooms in the west wing of the house. Once dressed in a pair of nicely fitted black slacks and a cashmere pale blue sweater with a pair of black leather ankle boots, all courtesy of Kat's Lucius sponsored shopping spree, she made her way out of Lucius' rooms and down towards the dining room for breakfast.

As she made her way into the dining room, Ginny was not surprised by the seating arrangement. Severus was sitting at one end of the table with Draco on one side and Fred on the other. Blaise sat next to Draco between him and his sister who was sitting next to her father. George sat next to Fred and there was an empty seat between him and Lucius. "Good morning Professor Snape, Draco, Blaise, Kat," Ginny greeted as she made her way down the table, stopping next to her chair, which Lucius had risen to pull out for her. "Good morning Lucius," Ginny said greeting her lover as he helped her into her seat.

"Good morning Ginevra," Lucius greeted, pushing her chair in for her as he laid a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"No good morning for your favourite brothers in the whole wide world?" Fred and George just stared at her aghast.

"You set off fireworks in my suite," Ginny replied flatly, sending them a glare worthy of the man seated at the far end of the table from her.

"But you weren't there," Fred pointed out. "We didn't wake you..." he continued before an indignant snort came from where Kat had begun reading the paper.

"I'd shut up Gred, Ginny doesn't kill us for it, Kit still might," George mock whispered.

"It doesn't matter that I wasn't there, the fact is you set of _fireworks_ inside my suite," Ginny growled.

"We're sorry Gin, honestly we are," George began quickly. "We just wanted to have something like the New Years fireworks and celebration with you since you wouldn't be there at the insane family gathering tomorrow. And sadly we have to be so we can't be with you."

"How can you be attending an insane family get together if Mum and Dad are in Egypt with Bill and Fleur?" asked Ginny in confusion.

Fred and George turned to look at each other as Severus and Kat both set down the papers they had been reading. "Well..." Fred began.

"That is to say..." George continued as they turned back to her.

"Well to put it quite honestly, Mum and Dad were being quite ruddy prats."

"They didn't go to Egypt," George continued softly, "They just wanted you to stay at school, or as it worked, go see your pen pal so you wouldn't overhear anything and have a repeat of the mess the night we left Hogwarts."

"Excuse me?" asked Ginny in shock. "I don't think I heard you right. Did you just say Mum and Dad lied to me about going to Egypt because they think I'm going to overhear their bloody Order of the Phoenix crap and go chasing after Tom and the Death Eaters?"

"Sadly, you heard us right."

"Bloody idiots you ask me, wasn't like we all went about that Department of Mysteries business without good cause, even if poor Harry was misguided," Fred nodded.

"So it's alright for Ron to go traipsing after Harry and nearly get himself killed but not me? Well then they're in for a shock aren't they when they find out I'm in bed with the very people they were trying to keep me away from," Ginny said, hurt evident in her angry voice.

"Personally, I think Dad's hoping Ron might go and get himself killed," Fred offered.

"And you know what? Who needs them? You got us, and we're right there with you in the thick of it... well save for being in bed with someone..."

"Speak for yourself!"

"Wait, you went and got yourself a girl? And you didn't tell me?" George stared at him before turning to Ginny, "Did you hear what your brother did? He got himself a girl and didn't tell me."

"Good for you Fred but tell me, do Mum and Dad approve of this girl?" questioned Ginny curiously.

"Well, that would require them knowing about her I suppose to even be a question."

"They better not know about her before I do!"

"Trust me; you two are the first to know, well besides Kit over there."

"I set them up," Kat explained before George could turn on her. "She's got a best friend that would be simply lovely for you George..."

"When did we sign up for a dating service?" George looked between Fred and Kat in confusion.

"You didn't, technically neither did I, Kit acted on her own. And back to your question Ginger girl, it's Rebecca Greengrass, she was in our year at Hogwarts, her sister Daph is in Ronnikin's year."

"You're dating Beccs!" Blaise stared at Fred. "You set him up with Beccs!" he turned on Kat. "That's just wrong on so many levels..."

"And you're interested in a girl since when?" Kat looked over at him before turning back to her French toast.

"And what's wrong with him dating Rebecca Greengrass?" questioned Ginny.

"Beccs is that unattainable vision that every heterosexual male dreams of," Draco explained with a smile. "And she gave us all the impression that she didn't go for guys so... She's one of those she shouldn't be dating any guy simply because."

"That's right, back before you realized you were in love with Draco you tried to get Beccs didn't you," Kat mused.

"Yes, which was when she said she preferred women."

"And you tried to set her up with me..." Kat frowned, "How drunk were you that night anyway?"

"Considering it was the night he also kissed me for the first time, I want to say he was pretty pissed..."

"How would you know, you were barely able to stand," Severus looked over at the two.

"That was a fantastic year for firewhiskey," Draco grinned.

"You're an idiot," Kat looked at her brother before rolling her eyes.

"What? So we got drunk and tried to set you up with Beccs. How were we to know you didn't prefer women? You never talked about dating."

"Like I was going to have a conversation with my eight year old brother about my love life," Kat glanced back at Lucius quickly, "Or lack there of when I was fifteen... and really lack there of ever..."

"Scaredy cat," Draco muttered under his breath.

"Jackass," Kat shot back.

"How did a conversation about Fred's girlfriend end up being a fight over Kat's love life between her and her brother?" Ginny asked turning to look at Lucius.

"They somehow manage to turn almost any conversation into a fight between them about something," observed Lucius.

"Daddy!"

"Hey!" the two shouted in unison.

"You have to admit Luc, it's a family trait, your cousins were just as bad," Severus pointed out with a smirk.

"Don't remind me," Lucius replied rolling his eyes.

"And here I thought these two hooligans were bad," commented Ginny wryly.

"Hey!" Fred and George exclaimed, turning towards her.

"What did we..."

"Ever do..."

"To deserve something like that!" Fred demanded.

"How about setting off fireworks inside my suite," Ginny snarled turning to glare at her brothers.

"Okay, so maybe we did deserve that..."

"But we're still your favourite brothers?"

"Right?"

"Right?"

"Haven't you always been my favourite brothers? You're the only ones that bother to tell me anything about what's going on and have never treated me like a useless child," replied Ginny.

"That's because you aren't a _useless_ child."

"You're the smartest of us all."

"And the prettiest," George nodded.

"You're just saying that because I'm the youngest and the only girl."

"No, being youngest doesn't make you smartest, being you makes you smartest."

"And even if there were more girls, you'd still be the prettiest. Besides, you're much prettier than Percy..."

"Only a little prettier than us," Fred winked at her as he slung an arm around George's shoulders.

"Well you guys never did have a problem with your egos…" Ginny laughed.

"And she is far prettier than the pair of you combined," offered Lucius.

"Now if that isn't the truth," Kat smiled, once more reading her paper. "Do you have to go to the Ministry today Daddy?" she lowered her paper to look at him.

"I wasn't planning on it, no," Lucius replied, glancing over at Ginny before turning his attention back to his daughter.

"Okay," she nodded before lifting the paper back up and turning the page. "If you have time, I figure you can help me with that research into the other side of the family tree..."

"Other than helping Ginevra with her flying problem I have no other real plans for the day and I'm sure Ginevra would be interested in helping us with your little project," Lucius replied.

She lowered the paper and nodded before going back to her article.

"So, you done with breakfast yet?" Fred asked after a few moments of blessed silence, at least it felt like a gift from the Gods to Severus.

"Yeah, done yet?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

"Do I look like I'm done?" questioned Ginny. "And why is it so important if I'm done?"

"We haven't seen you in _months_," George managed to make the word 'months' sound like it should have at least six syllables.

"We want to spend time with our absolutely favouritist family member in the whole wide world."

"Well I was planning on getting some flying practice in with Lucius," Ginny shrugged. "I'm sure Lucius has some spare brooms around here somewhere."

"We know where they're at," Fred nodded, "Well we know where Kit's stash is..."

"Then if you can find them you're welcome to join us. You as well guys," Ginny said to Draco and Blaise. "You guys wouldn't have any Bludgers or anything handy would you? I'm okay with just flying now but if I'm ever going to get back out on the pitch I need to get used to bludgers flying around and we do have two ex-Gryffindor beaters sitting at the table."

"Did she just suggest a semi-match?" Fred and George looked at each other before grinning.

"God save us all," Kat muttered dryly before chuckling.

"Does that mean we can get you up there too for an even number?" Draco focused on her and the paper lowered once more.

"You're out of your bloody ever loving mind."

"I know, but will you join us?"

Kat just blinked at him a few times before rolling her eyes, "There's that old set that someone decided to store in my broom closet, we can use them. But you need to find someone else or I would be the odd number... You're forgetting how to count again darling brother of mine."

"Oh stun me," Draco rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, feel free to not participate considering we haven't gotten Severus up in a game... well... ever..."

"Quidditch has never been a game I enjoy playing," Severus explained quietly.

"Flying keeps you young Severus," countered Lucius.

"Until we are the same age Lucius, I will have no fears about needing to remain young."

"I don't think I have to worry about my age Severus. I'm as capable as any man half my age. I'm sure Ginevra could attest to that fact," Lucius smirked, causing Ginny to blush the same colour as her hair.

"Now Luc, is that fair to tease the lovely young lady, especially in front of her family? Does that mean I can inform Tom he is allowed the same liberties? Heaven knows his capabilities would be a much greater achievement..."

"Papa Taliesin!" Kat gave a strangled shriek as the paper dropped and she turned nearly the same shade as Ginny.

"Kat would you care to join me while I go get my Quidditch robes on?" Ginny asked.

"Oh certainly," Kat nodded, "I'm afraid I just lost whatever appetite I had left..." she rose quickly.

"Me too," admitted Ginny as she rose and made her way from the room with her friend.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Tuesday December 30th, 1997  
Wiltshire, England  
Malfoy Manor  
The North Wing – The Upstairs Library  
12:37 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"You've really improved," Lucius said as he stepped up behind Ginny who was standing in front of the fire trying to warm herself even though she had changed into dry clothes thanks to the rather sudden and unexpected snow storm that had hit twenty minutes earlier, ending their pick up Quidditch game. "You're looking much like you did before your accident," he said rubbing her arms in an attempt to help warm her.

"Thanks. I couldn't have done it without your help," she said turning around and wrapping her arms around Lucius' waist, snuggling into his hold as his arms wrapped around her.

"Well if that isn't the nicest thing I've seen all day, what do you think Gred?"

"I think you're right Feorge," Fred agreed

"You breathe one word of this to anyone outside this house and I'll hunt you down and kill you myself," Ginny threatened, still firmly enveloped in Lucius' hold.

"Oi! Like we ever would!" Fred straightened up, a bit affronted. "Besides, if we did we'd have to explain how we managed to witness it, and wouldn't that require explaining what we're doing at Malfoy Manor?"

"In other words, your secret's safe with us for more than just the bonds of sibling secrecy," George shot Fred a look.

"What _are_ you doing here? I know why _I'm_ here, and I _don't_ just mean _where_ I'm presently standing."

"Well that's a bit of a story," George began as he and Fred moved towards one of the couches.

"In time for explanations, are we?" Severus asked as he entered the room with Kat who was smacking Draco with her fork whenever he reached towards the piece of her birthday cake she had with her, Blaise just shaking his head as he followed after them.

"Fred and George were going to explain why they're here," Ginny said as Lucius led her over to one of the couches and sat her down next to him, pulling her close as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Well," Fred glanced at George. "You know that George and I have never been... well exactly like the rest of the family."

"More mischievous Mum would say."

"More devious..."

"Even Hermione pointed out we were rather ruthless in how we were getting the wheezes tested our last year at Hogwarts..." George pointed out with a slight frown. "Figures she'd be the one to actually word it that way though, wouldn't it?"

"Trust me, I've wondered how you both ended up as Gryffindors," admitted Ginny. "You're too sneaky for the house of the noble lions."

"So true, so true," Fred nodded.

"Well, after we left Hogwarts, Mum was quite cross as you might remember.

"Bloody scary she was. Why we immediately moved in to the flat above the shop."

"Anyway," George continued, "We got to talk as time went by, and I guess just from curiosity we started seeing what was going on, on 'the Dark Side'," he adopted a whole scary story tone of voice for a moment. "Turns out, they're not the right bastards the Order likes to make them out to be and to be quite honest we realized we don't agree with the Order and Mum and Dad's beliefs in regards to Riddle so..." he trailed off with a shrug.

"Okay, but how does that lead to the Malfoys?" asked Ginny curiously.

Fred and George exchanged a look before looking back at her, "Gin girl, who's the most famous Death Eater around?"

"The only _actual_ proof of Lucius ever being a Death Eater was that night in the Department of Mysteries and I don't recall either of you even being there," observed Ginny.

"Okay oh annoyingly smart one, we took a chance and by some miracle it actually paid off, though dear Malfoy elder pointed us on to his beautiful daughter for Occlumency lessons so Dumbledore wouldn't figure us out. She's quite good actually."

"I'm one of the only two Malfoy heirs if something happens to my father, I have to be good at such things," Kat pointed out with a shrug, "Besides, the greatest occlumency and Legilimency master save for my fiancé just happens to be my godfather."

"At least you didn't have to listen to Ron rail at me for letting Death Eater number one escape. I wish I could see his face when he finds out it wasn't an accident," Ginny smirked.

"Oh, let us be there, pretty please!" Fred and George pleaded.

"Don't even say it Ginevra," Lucius said putting his hand over her mouth before she could answer. "I suggest we get back to why it is we're all gathered here in the library in the first place. I believe it has something to do with the Malfoy family tree."

"Daddy, you are horrible at deciphering code," Kat shook her head, "I was talking about the other side of Draco's and my family tree meaning the Blacks, and actually was referring to a certain member of the Black family that married into the Weasley family..." she continued carefully.

"The Weasleys are connected to the Blacks?" asked Ginny, now that her mouth was free once more.

"Grandmum Cedrella was a Black," George nodded. "Her father was the son of Phineas Nigellus Black. So, it turns out we're third cousins with Tonks' mum, and Bellatrix Lestrange and the late Narcissa, Sirius, and Regulus. And we're third cousins once removed of Draco and Kit over there, and their cousin dear Tonks."

"Wait, so the all mighty noble Gryffindor Weasley family is tied to the most noble and ancient house of Black? Dumbledore's prize Order family has ties to the one of the darkest pureblood families going?"

"Actually... technically... up until Dad and his siblings, the Weasleys weren't Gryffindors," Fred nodded, "Well one or two might have been..."

"God damn bloody hat," Ginny grumbled.

"Yeah I know," Fred nodded, "Wanted to put us in Slytherin at first, shocked the hell out of us as you can imagine, then said 'but there's courage there too, and as much as you are mischievous... it will be Gryffindor," he and George quoted in unison. "Annoying bugger."

"Personally, I think Dumbledore convinced it to stick us all in Gryffindor or something when Granddad abandoned his family and history and joined up with Dumbledore..." Fred muttered.

"I'm with you on that one Fred. I know I sure as hell didn't want Gryffindor," Ginny said.

"Wanted to be a Slyth like your two favourite brothers then?" George asked with a smile. "Though, can you see Ronnikins face if his three nearest siblings were evil snakes?"

"Oh to have had a camera when that became known," Fred grinned.

"But what does any of this have to do with the Blacks and the Malfoys?" asked Ginny in confusion.

"Shut up," Kat looked at Fred and George when they both opened their mouths, "Let one older and wiser tell this part kindly," she continued with a smile before turning to Ginny. "When your Grandmother married your Grandfather, she wasn't disowned by the Blacks. It wasn't until later that she and any children she had were disowned, but her descendants did have the possibility of being acknowledged once more."

"How?" questioned Ginny.

"By returning to what Dumbledore and his followers would call the 'Dark Side'," she explained simply.

"By joining with Tom and his followers?"

"Well... that isn't a necessarily requirement no," Kat glanced at her father and Godfather. "Your family, the Weasleys, they're an old pureblood family as I know you know. What isn't spoken of anymore is up until four generations past, the family was like the Blacks and Malfoys, solely what some considered a 'dark' family. Your Grandfather was the sole heir, and everyone was quite happy with the marriage between him and a Black, until a few months into the marriage when he decided to turn, I suppose you could say. He renounced everything of the family, renounced all the friends and connections to the other Ancient Houses, and was promptly cut off from the family fortune as a result by your Great-Grandfather before his death. Your Grandmother chose to follow her husband, and was disowned by the Black family for betraying them as well as the Weasley name."

"Okay…I'm still not quite understanding what all this has to do with me though," Ginny admitted.

"You've heard of Cassandra Trelawney," Severus began softly.

"Who hasn't? Too bad the current incarnation didn't get her gifts," commented Ginny.

"Sadly, Sybill is nowhere near as talented as her ancestor, but she does possess the rare true prediction..." Severus rolled his eyes. "Before she died, she was responsible for a prophecy that involved the Weasley family; it was given to your Great-Grandfather and placed in the Department of Mysteries along with the other prophecies that exist."

"The Prophecy stated that the seventh child would return the family to the Old Ways," Kat continued softly. "Not the Dark Side mind you, the Old Ways, though to Dumbledore it seems there is no difference..."

"But I'm the seventh child…"

"Yes, you are," Kat agreed quietly.

"But according to what you just said, I'm supposed to return the Weasley family to the old ways. How exactly am I supposed to do that?" demanded Ginny.

"You aren't supposed to, it isn't something that you have no choice in," Kat explained quickly. "We all have choice in the things we do."

"As for how you _could_ return the Weasley family to the Old Ways. It is my belief that the prophecy didn't imply that the entire family would be returned, merely that the seventh child would be the one to turn back to the Old Ways, and be recognized as the Weasley heir. And perhaps other family members might return with him or her," Severus continued.

"But if I did lay claim as heir I would lose everything I have…everything I know… I'm already running a huge risk just being here, just being with…" Ginny trailed off, her eyes dropping to her lap for a moment before she stood up and walked towards the window.

Lucius rose from his spot on the couch and followed Ginny to the window. "You would not lose everything Ginevra if you chose to lay claim as the true heir to the Weasley heritage. My family and I are here for you as are Tom and Severus," he told her turning her around to face him. "There is nothing you could do to turn us away from you," he said pulling her into his arms.

Kat looked at the others and nodded towards the door before rising and walking over to her father and best friend, "What Daddy says is true for all of us, you're stuck with each of us for life, no matter what you choose, especially your crazy brothers," she smiled as she let her hand rest on Ginny's shoulder a moment. "We'll be around okay?"

Ginny nodded in understanding as she watched the others leave the room one after another.

Once everyone else was gone, Lucius picked Ginny up and apparated them both to his rooms in the south wing where he laid her down on the bed and climbed up next to her, pulling her into his arms and spent the remainder of the afternoon merely holding her while she drifted in and out of sleep.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
January 2nd, 1998  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Dear Ginger,_

_Well, did you survive the trip back okay? I swear I woke up this morning all set to go and talk to you about something I thought of during the night, and you bloody well weren't there at breakfast. I'm not sure who was more depressed; me or Daddy…though I suspect it might be him. It's bloody lonely around here with all of you gone, though Thomas plans to come by this afternoon so I get a distraction I suppose._

_How did things go getting back there? Ron still being a prat? You want, I still have a few extra wheezes from my birthday present I could have arranged sent to him… And the others, they being okay? D and B were planning on kidnapping you in a day or so for a late night dessert so, be warned._

_I'm going to keep this short though, I have to run and meet with the Head House Elf to discuss the reception, can you believe it's only six weeks until the wedding!_

_Talk to you soon._

_Love,_

_Kat_

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
January 5th, 1998  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Hey Kat,_

_You weren't kidding about D and B were you? They managed to snag me after Quidditch practice yesterday for chocolate cake in the kitchens. Boy did I need the chocolate after that practice. No it wasn't Harry working me into the ground or anything like that; it was having to deal with my asinine brother. Oi! Kat I wanted to kill him and I actually had to keep D and B from doing the same when they found out how he treated me during practice. Let's just say that my idiot brother wasn't too happy to see me with a brand new top of the line racing broom and brand new Quidditch robes. He nearly threw a fit when I refused to tell him where they came from and he was not impressed with my answer of a gift to his repeated questions about them. Harry actually had to stun him to keep him from pummelling me right then and there. As it was he did actually take a swing at me, luckily I ducked in time. Let's just say D and B were ready to murder themselves a Gryffindor when they found out. If L hears about this can you let him know that I'm fine. I plan to write to him anyways to let him know that yes I'm fine and all that. _

_Speaking of L, can you let him know that yes D gave me the package he sent to me via D and that no D did not open it or anything. I accidentally left a few things in his suite in my haste to make it to the train on time since I didn't exactly want to leave and I left everything to the last possible minute. _

_Just so you know, your father's birthday present to you has definitely made an impression around here. People keep asking me where I got the new robes from and other inane questions like that. I'm enjoying the fact that it's annoying the hell out of Ron but at the same time I'm beginning to fear what he might do if pushed too far._

_I must say though, it is definitely interesting having returned to Hogwarts after spending the holidays with your entire family, including your godfather. Let's just say that particular class is not what it used to be. Oh he's still the smarmy git towards me seeing as I am a Gryffindor but there is something different about the way in which he says things, but I think I'm the only one that actually picks up on the difference. The words are the same but the feelings behind them don't seem to be there anymore._

_You're lucky you get to spend time with Tom. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm jealous. You can see him anytime you want whereas I'm stuck in this bloody castle and all I want to be doing is curling up next to L in front of the fire while he reads. Please don't tell him but…but I think I'm falling in love with him Kat. He's all I think about these days. More than I did before at any rate. It used to be he just haunted my dreams, which believe me, he still does but now…now I can't stop thinking about him during the day too. Hermione's caught me daydreaming a few times already and is drilling me over 'the guy I'm mooning over'. _

_I should let you go since I'm sure you're buried up to your eyeballs in wedding plans. I wish I could be there to help you. Would you mind giving the enclosed letter to L for me? I don't want to send it by it's own owl as Ron has been trying to monitor my mail to see who I'm writing to, which is why this letter is charmed so only you can read it and the enclosed letter is charmed so only L can read it. It's also why this is coming with D's owl as I'm sitting in the common room D shares with Hermione and he said I could borrow his owl to send this. _

_Talk to you soon,_

_Love_

_Ginger._

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
January 6th, 1998  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Hey Ginger,_

_First… Did your darling brother enjoy his present from the twins yesterday? They were here when I got your letter and I kinda started ranting and raving and they said they had a plan. Something about sending him the newest Wheeze under the guise that they needed someone to test it, unknowingly of course… So, what happened! Spill!_

_And don't worry, I kept Daddy from going off to the school to get a hold of him after he found out until he read your letter, and even then I kept him bound to his chair until he calmed down (haven't seen him that pissed since the thing with Raoul my sixth year… _

_Oh and I let him know about the package, all's good. As for my birthday present, I love it! Simply love it! Enjoy your fun Ginger girl, and in regards to what Ronnikins might do (the twins called him that while they joined in my ranting party that surprisingly it was Aíne who broke up when she said (and I quote) "Bloody wanker, Ron's a bloody wanker"… the twins claim innocence in teaching my bird that, I'm not sure if I should believe them or not…_

_Isn't Papa wonderful? Don't be surprised if that continues to be the way things are now. As for Tom… I'll let you know how I feel in regards to that. I mean I know now that he's not quite the bastard I hated him for being (what with not actually being the one to kill my Uncle Reg like I thought…) but…I'm not going to think about any of my feelings regarding my soon to be husband, they're too confusing to be figured out right now. But as for you! You can't hear me but I was squealing like an idiot when I read about your feelings. I think it's simply wonderful! And to be honest, I think that Daddy is falling for you too, but don't take my word for it. Give him time though, he never loved Mother, I don't think he loved anyone really until I was born and we both know it's a quite different type of love between that which you feel for a child and that which you feel for a lover…_

_I'm rambling aren't I? I'm going to stop while I'm ahead, I have a fitting for my gown in an hour and I need to go check on my babies before then._

_Love,_

_Kat_

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
January 8th, 1998  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Kat,_

_Oh my sweet Merlin. The twins have surpassed themselves once more. I only wish I was actually in the room to see it. I had to hear most of it from D and B but apparently it was priceless. A package arrived for Ron the other day, the one from the twins, only it was addressed from a secret admirer. Ron, the idiot that he is ate the candy that came with the note. It apparently didn't kick in until he got to his first class. Get this…it was POTIONS! D and B told me it was some kind of confunding candy because Ron totally screwed up the potion and it exploded worse than anything that Neville's ever managed. S was so beyond pissed that Ron disrupted his class and he apparently really laid into him, so much that Harry and Mione had to remove Ron from the room before he did something so stupid he would have either made us lose all the house points we had to date or get himself expelled. D and B had me in stitches in the kitchens that night. Tell the twins they got a great product in that one._

_Thank you for keeping L from coming here. As much as I would have loved to have seen him, I don't want to try to explain to the headmaster why L is coming after my brother._

_Have fun fitting your dress. I wish I could be with you. The one thing that bothers me about your wedding is that I'm not going to get to spend much time alone with L._

_Talk to you soon,_

_Love_

_Ginger_

**:-:-:-:-:-:  
January 12th, 1998  
:-:-:-:-:-:**

_Ginger,_

_Sorry I didn't write back right away, after my fitting I arrived back to find Tom (I think I drive him nuts by switching between calling him Tom and Thomas…) waiting. He proceeded to kidnap me and we went to Japan for a few days, said I was walking around like the dead and needed a break so he was making sure I got one, and it gave us a chance to spend more time together. I think I'm joining you in that 'falling' boat… Bloody hell, at least you have the chance of the man you love loving you back. As much as I know Tom's not the bastard everyone thinks he is, like he'd really love me… _

_Regardless though, I had a lovely time in Japan but he wouldn't let any owls near me… bloody insistent man. However, the thing with your brothers, it sounds fantastic! D and B wrote me all about it too, to have been a fly on the wall! Even Papa Taliesin wrote about it._

_You're welcome about Daddy, and don't write it off just yet. You don't know what's going to happen on my wedding day…_

_Talk to you later though, dozens of owls to respond to in relation to the wedding and business and oh so many things._

_Love,_

_Kat_

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Saturday February 14th, 1998  
Hogsmeade Village  
The Three Broomsticks  
7:48 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"I see a familiar face Gred."

"So do I Feorge," George agreed before both promptly attacked Ginny from either side, wrapping their arms around her in a two person bear hug. "Happy Valentine's Day Ginger!"

"Happy Valentine's Day Gin!"

"Happy Valentine's Day," Ginny said returning their hug.

"So, ready to go see our favourite blonde in the world?" Fred asked after they broke apart. "I hear tell breakfast is waiting..."

"Of course," smiled Ginny.

"Then away we shall go," George smiled as he placed her right hand in the crook of his arm while Fred did the same with her left. "Thanks Madame Rosmerta!" he called towards where the woman was busy at work. She looked up and waved at the three before the twins promptly apparated away taking Ginny with them.

"Ginger!" Kat squealed the moment the world stopped spinning.

"Hey! Congrats on the big day," Ginny smiled in return.

"Thank you," Kat smiled as they exchanged a quick hug. "Now come. Come, come, I have a surprise for you," she grabbed Ginny's hand and began pulling her through the Manor.

"See you later oh favourite sister in the whole wide world!" Fred and George called after them.

"_BYE!_" Ginny called back to her brothers as her best friend continued to drag her through the Manor.

"Now," Kat began to explain as they turned another corner, "We have some of the best witches at their work coming this afternoon to give us manicures and pedicures and do our hair and makeup. The Ballroom in the North Wing is where the reception is going to be, and the ceremony is in the garden, but you already know all that," she looked back at Ginny and smiled before suddenly stopping in front of a door. "I'm expecting you back in my room no later than half past twelve."

"Huh?" asked Ginny in utter confusion.

"Be back in my rooms at half past noon, alright?" Kat asked with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll send an owl to remind you at noon. Until then, enjoy yourself," she winked before opening the door next to them and pushing Ginny inside, only to shut the door behind her rather quickly leaving her alone in the room.

"Going somewhere?" purred a voice from behind her when she had spun towards the door when Kat had closed it behind her.

Turning around Ginny couldn't keep the smile off her face when she caught sight of the man standing in the doorway leading to what she knew to be the bedroom in nothing more than a dressing gown. "I've missed you," she said as she walked over to him, stopping mere inches in front of him.

"And I you, so why don't we make up for lost time," he suggested as he gently caressed Ginny's cheek.

"Please…" she trailed off as she leaned into him, her lips meeting his before he led her back into the bedroom.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Saturday February 14th, 1998  
Wiltshire, England  
The Malfoy Manor – The Rose Garden  
6:21 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

Morning had slipped into afternoon, Kat spending time with her Aunt Bella while Ginny was off spending time with Lucius. When Ginny finally parted from the elder Malfoy male, Bellatrix disappeared until later in the day, leaving Kat and Ginny free to indulge in a long soak in their baths before being pampered from head to foot by the various witches that arrived to give them manicures and pedicures, and to do their hair and makeup. The day passed by with plenty of laughter and just time to be together.

It was one of those days that seemed perfect. A fresh layer of snow had fallen the night before, the sky a clear shade of pale blue as the sun rose higher as the hours passed. The House Elves were busy at work, preparing for the reception in the ballroom, while out in the gardens warming spells were cast to keep out the cold temperatures, though the snow was charmed to not melt. The garden where the ceremony itself was to take place had been brought back to life, various types and shades of red and white and even pink roses were in bloom around the small clearing, in which sat a number of gold chairs that were quickly filled by the some forty people there to attend the wedding. An 'aisle' down the centre of the two groups of chairs was littered with pink rose petals, yet to be disturbed since everyone had found their chairs from the other side of the rows.

Everyone had gathered in the garden as sunset drew near, Draco and Blaise sitting up front next to the empty seat that Lucius would sit in, the twins there next to Bellatrix and her husband, an odd sight to anyone who wasn't actually at the wedding and knew of the two Weasley boys' true loyalties. At the head of the clearing, a Wizarding Priest stood in a set of dark blue robes, to his left stood Tom and Severus in elegant black robes, Tom as well wearing a black velvet cloak with ancient runes and spells embroidered over the surface in gold thread.

From somewhere, a soft medley was playing on what sounded like a harp and flute combination, the song changing tone slightly, drawing everyone's attention to the back of the clearing where Ginny stood. She stayed there a moment, before starting down the aisle of flower petals, her gown was black, a sleeveless bodice with a design like flowers made from crystals, a floor length chiffon skirt that her black slipper-clad feet peaked out from now and again. Her hair was pulled back slightly, falling down her back in ringlets with two white roses at the back of her head. In her hands was a simple bouquet of long-stem red rosebuds.

Once she had reached the Priest, Tom, and Severus, she moved to the Priest's right where she would stand across from Severus, before turning towards the back as everyone stood to face where Kat now stood with Lucius by her side.

They remained there a few moments, before slowly starting forward. Lucius was clad in a set of grey robes, not quite a dark grey, but neither were they a light shade of the color. As Kat had put it, they made his eyes stand out even more somehow, his hair pulled back in a simple queue as he led his daughter up the aisle.

Then there was Kat. Her dress was white, a corset bodice, sleeveless like Ginny's, with the same design as on Ginny's, though her's was made with crystals and pearls. A deep, dark red coloured ribbon ran along the top of the bodice with white embroidered curls that resembled the design on the bodice. At the moment, it was impossible to see, but both Kat and Ginny knew the ribbon continued around the back and down the edge of the dress which was split, then along the bottom of the cathedral train was the same deep, dark red coloured inset with beads down the length; over it though she wore a white velvet cloak, embroidered with the same runes and spells as were on Tom's cloak, though her's was in silver thread so it was more difficult to see.

Her blonde hair was up in a pile of curls at the top of her head, a white silk, floor length veil with embroidery along the edge similar to the design on the 'ribbon' of her dress attached to the back of her curls. Delicately balanced amidst her hair was a diamond tiara that was two inches in height, a matching diamond necklace around her neck with simple drop earrings to complete the jewellery that had been passed to each Malfoy female for her wedding day through the generations. The last thing was the bouquet in her hands, a collection of red rosebuds and white roses in full bloom.

Eventually it seemed, Lucius and Kat reached the end of the aisle, and everyone retook their seats once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Priest began as he looked around those gathered in the garden, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls," he continued, before focusing on those directly in front of him. "Who gives this woman to this man?"

"I do."

"And do you do so willingly?"

"Yes," Lucius answered simply before turning and gently kissing Kat's cheek. Smiling at him, she turned and handed her bouquet to Ginny before turning back to Lucius who took both of her hands in his, placing her right over her left, then taking Tom's left hand, he set them into his. Turning he made his way to the empty chair by Draco as Kat turned towards Tom completely and he placed his right hand above hers.

"As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage," the Priest began once more, his focus now on the two of them, "With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be joined before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative Gods. The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth. Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?"

"Yes. We Seek to Enter," Kat's softer voice blended with Tom's.

"Do you, Thomas Marvolo, take Ekaterina Morrigan Epona to be your partner in life?"

"I do."

"Do you, Ekaterina Morrigan Epona, take Thomas Marvolo to be your partner in life?"

"I do."

"In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony… Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home. The heat of the heart's passion The light created by both To lighten the darkest of times. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake. The swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain. The all encompassing passion of the sea. Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North. Firm foundation on which to build Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return. Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union. I bid you look into each others eyes," he instructed before a chuckle drifted through the crowd, they had already been doing such. "Thomas, Will you cause her pain?"

"I may."

"Is that you intent?"

"No," he answered evenly as he held her gaze unblinking.

"Ekaterina, Will you cause him pain?"

"I may," she answered softly.

"Is that you intent?" he pressed.

"No."

"Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?" he questioned, before receiving their agreement, "And so the binding is made. Join your hands," he instructed before with a simple wave of his wand, a red ribbon came from the tip and wrapped around their joined hands.

The next promises made involved sharing in each other's laughter and looking for the brightness in life and the positive in each other, a yellow ribbon, admitting that they would burden each other but share the burdens so that their spirits might grow in their union, a blue ribbon. A brown ribbon joined the others after the promise to share each other's dreams and dream together to create new realities and hopes, while a black ribbon snaked around their wrists after they promised to use the heat of anger to temper the strength of their union once they admitted they might give reason for the other to be angry with them.

"Ekaterina, Will you honour him?" the Priest asked more seriously than before.

"I will," she promised softly.

"Thomas, Will you honour her?"

"I will," he agreed, just as softly, somehow more serious now in his lower tone than he had been before.

"Will you seek to never give cause to break that honour?" he questioned both of them.

"We shall never do so," they agreed, voices mingling once more.

"And so the binding is made," he spoke and a final white ribbon laced itself with the others. "The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union," he explained before the rope created by the six ribbons glowed bright once before disappearing. Raising his wand once more he began a silent incantation before their hands glowed one last time, "As your promises and vows have been made, before each other, the Gods, and this company, I declare you bonded for life," he announced before the glow disappeared, leaving a silver and gold entwined band visible on Tom's left hand.

Those gathered clapped as their hands separated and Tom slipped her left hand, which bore a matching silver and gold band into the crook of his arm while Kat took her bouquet back from Ginny. The two made their way down the aisle, as Severus moved over to take Ginny's hand with a smile and lead her after them, Lucius, Draco, and Blaise just behind them.

The Ballroom had been transformed to look like a winter wonderland as well, and there were small tables here and there for the guests, a table unto itself for Kat and Tom next to the table Severus led Ginny to, the remaining seats at their table being filled quickly by Lucius, Draco and Blaise, Lucius of course taking the seat next to Ginny, while Kat was sitting almost back to back with her.

Dinner was served immediately, as music played softly, both Wizarding and Muggle music, though the Muggle music was solely from various ballets of course. After desert, Tom rose and led Kat out to the dance floor, both free of their wedding cloaks.

"Would you care to dance Ginevra?" Lucius asked as Tom swept Kat around the dance floor in a graceful waltz.

"I can't dance like that," admitted Ginny quietly.

"Do you trust me?" asked Lucius, his seemingly out of the blue question catching Ginny off guard.

"Of course I do," she said.

"Then dance with me," he said standing up, taking a hold of Ginny's hand and pulling her up from her chair and leading her out onto the dance floor.

"Lucius…" she tried to protest, only to find his finger over her lips, silencing her.

"Trust me," he said as he laid his left hand gently on Ginny's waist and took a hold of her right hand, her left hand instinctively going to his right shoulder. "Just follow," he whispered into her ear, eliciting a shiver from Ginny, as soon as her hand came to a rest on his shoulder before sweeping her across the floor.

A few minutes into the dance, Draco and Blaise had joined them, though no one was quite sure as to who was leading, they kept switching... Other couples as well were there, though the centre of the floor belonged solely to the newlyweds. The sudden burst of fireworks though drew everyone's attention up to where small bursts of light and colour appeared around the ceiling, none extravagantly loud though. A glance across the room by anyone, found the Weasley twins grinning like idiots as they swayed back and forth, one arm around each other's shoulders, as they would make another firework appear with a flick of their wand.

And so the night continued, more dancing of course, Kat even managed to drag her father away from Ginny long enough for a dance while Tom danced with Bellatrix, everyone laughing when Bella promptly spun out of his arms and caught Kat's hand at the end of the dance only to lead her into the next dance, not so subtly bumping Lucius towards Tom with her hip. The two men just looked at each other before surprisingly, they shrugged and after a few moments of fighting over who would lead, followed after the two women who were by then barely able to keep from falling over as they danced from laughing so hard. The two men had shared a look before as they neared the table where Ginny, Draco, Blaise and Severus sat, the three younger members laughing while Severus just shook his head... until Tom and Lucius both grabbed his hands and pulled him out for an odd three person dance much more resembling the old Ring Around The Rosey game children played... much to the famous Potions Master's obvious annoyance. By that time Bella and Kat had actually collapsed in the middle of the dance floor, holding each other up as they laughed. Of course that just gave the three men something to dance around of course...

The night continued, many more dances, cake of course was cut, and more fireworks now and again provided by the twins. Eventually as midnight drew near, Tom and Kat said their goodbyes and disappeared to Japan as Kat whispered to Ginny with a smile, and the others began to leave until it was only Draco, Blaise, and Severus who sat watching Lucius and Ginny dance under the light of the twinkling stars on the ceiling that had been charmed to look like the night's sky for the evening.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Sunday February 15th, 1998  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Great Hall  
The Gryffindor Table  
8:37 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

Ginny slowly made her way up the steps leading into Hogwarts. She had just made the trek from Hogsmeade after only having gotten maybe an hour's sleep. The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was making her way into the castle and towards breakfast. She would much rather still be snuggled up next to Lucius and enjoying breakfast in bed. Given her current state of mind, she was not in the best of moods as she entered the castle and grumbled about the unfairness of her life as she made her way towards the Great Hall. The grumbling continued as she made her way over to her usual spot at the Gryffindor Table when she collapsed into her seat, her head falling to the table in front of her.

"Hey Ginny, you okay?" asked Hermione in concern.

"Need sleep," Ginny replied into the table, a wave of nausea hitting her a few seconds after she sat down.

"The twins keep you busy?" Harry asked with a smile as Ron stuffed his face next to him.

"Oh look, mail's here," Hermione looked up as the owls flew overhead, "Hey! That's my paper Ronald!" she glared at the youngest Weasley male when he snatched her copy of the Daily Prophet.

"There's supposed to be something about the Cannons in the paper today, or so the rumour was saying yesterday," Harry explained with a shrug.

Hermione just rolled her eyes before focusing on Ginny, "You don't look that great, Gin...Maybe you should skip practice and get some sleep..." she suggested softly.

Before Ginny had a chance to say anything, Ron let out a rather mangled screech and managed to cover poor Neville who made the mistake of sitting across from him with God only knows what had been in his mouth.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Hermione turned to stare at him aghast.

His only response was to shove the paper into her face, waving it as he did until she managed to snatch it out of his hands to see what had him so upset. "Well I'll be, Draco's sister got married..." she looked up across the room where Draco was sitting next to Blaise holding court it appeared to a number of Slytherins who had gathered around with papers in their hands.

"Malfoy's got a sister?" Harry frowned, "So the mysterious sibling is a girl," he shot Ron a look, "What's it say?"

"Why do you care!"? Ron snapped at him.

"I'm curious, besides don't you owe Neville an apology?" Harry glanced at him before focusing back on the others.

"Wedding of the Century," Hermione began, "Or at least that's what some are declaring it as. Last night, Ekaterina Malfoy, daughter of Lucius Malfoy, was married in a quiet ceremony at Malfoy Manor. Ekaterina is the eldest child, and only daughter, of Lucius and the late Narcissa Malfoy. She was born a mere five months after Lucius and Narcissa were wed, and as some will recall, there was a period of time when her fate was much in question. She attended Beauxbatons Academy from 1984 until the summer of 1991, when she returned to England and started Camelot Meadow, where she breeds Granians as well as the ancient breed of Andalusians, a horse more famous in the Muggle world. The young bride has also held a place in the famous Diaghilev Company, currently led by Madame Josephine Diaghilev, and most recently was seen as the Sugar Plum Fairy in this year's production of The Nutcracker, a role she has held for the last five seasons. The ceremony was a quiet affair at Malfoy Manor, attended by forty guests. The ceremony itself was held in the gardens, the bride and groom exchanging the ancient vows that some today refer to as the 'Cord Vows', and began just as the sun began to set, as most will know is the best time to perform such ancient and strong magic. The reception was held in the Manor Ballroom, which had been turned into a winter wonderland was how one guest described it. The Bride wore a gown by famed Madame Bellarose, a white and red creation, and carried a bouquet of white and red roses, tying in the obvious links to the holiday most famous for lovers. The newly married couple is said to have gone to Japan for a month long wedding vacation."

"Did you notice it didn't mention who she married?" Harry frowned in confusion.

"None of your business," grumbled Ginny, her head still on the table.

Harry looked over at her, "Huh? Do you know who it is?"

"It's probably someone not quite as high up in the class system as his bride," Hermione shrugged. "And remember Harry, we're used to the Muggle world's way of announcing marriages, maybe they don't always list the bride and groom."

"True," he nodded. "Well, best of luck to both of them," he shrugged slightly.

"And in answer to your earlier question Mione, I would love to lay down for awhile but we have a match against Slytherin next week and I need to be at practice," Ginny said quietly, desperately fighting the urge to throw up.

"You won't do any good at practice if you fall off your broom from exhaustion," Hermione argued. "I'm sure even Ron and Harry can accept that fact, and it's not like you won't have two more practices this week if not three if Ron gets his way," she shot a look at the red-head who was once more stuffing his face.

"She's right Gin, you do look beat. And if you miss practice today, there will be two more," Harry offered. "Besides, no one can say anything since we can all figure it's Fred and George's fault for keeping you up all night doing God only knows what," he smiled.

"Thanks Harry," Ginny said finally lifting her head from table. "Oh Gods," she cried quietly, her hand going to her mouth when she took one look at Ron eating. "I think I'm going to be sick," she mumbled before bolting out of the Great Hall.

"Ronald, you're disgusting did you even _remotely_ realize that?" Hermione stared at him before rising and hurrying after Ginny, leaving Harry to deal with the other boy. Taking a chance she made her way to the nearest girl's lavatory, figuring if nothing else she'd ask the paintings. As luck would have it though, she found the room empty save for one soul that was quite obviously losing whatever they had managed to eat.

Opening the door, she slipped in to kneel next to Ginny and hold her hair with one hand while rubbing circles on her back with the other.

"Not again," Ginny grumbled as she sat back and wiped her mouth, quickly flushing the toilet and resting her head against the cool marble.

"Here," Hermione offered a glass of water she'd summoned, "Do you want to go to the Hospital Wing?" she asked softly.

"Thanks," Ginny said taking the water and drinking most of it, only to have it decide to come up a few minutes later. "I thought I got rid of this stupid bug…"

"When did you last have it?" she asked as she rose and offered a hand to help Ginny up when she was ready.

"A couple of weeks ago," Ginny replied as she took Hermione's offered hand and climbed to her feet.

"Hospital Wing? Or want to go to my rooms?"

"Your rooms if you wouldn't mind. I think I just need to sleep it off. For all I know the twins slipped me something in my juice before I left this morning," Ginny said.

"Evil gits if they did," Hermione nodded, "Well then, let's get you up there so you can rest. I'll find some crackers and ginger ale for you for later then? I know, completely Muggle thing but...personally I think it's much better for an upset stomach than anything Madam Pomfrey can give that always makes me want to get sick just from the smell or taste," she rambled on as they made their way out of the bathroom.

"Oh I'm with you on that one. Just the thought of food right now turns my stomach. Only reason I'm not back in the bathroom is there's nothing left in my system," Ginny replied.

"Poor Gin, I hate when I feel like that, and have you ever noticed guys are just completely clueless and always try to make you eat something? Although, I have to admit, Professor Lupin's way of providing chocolate does seem to actually make you feel a bit better... Though I'm starting to agree with him that chocolate fixes just about anything... If only we could train the rest of the male population that way though," she chuckled.

"Unfortunately, I don't think chocolate's going to help since the thought of the chocolate strawberries that arrived yesterday turns my stomach at the moment."

"Oh bugger, you really don't feel good," Hermione looked over at her concerned as they reached the painting that hid the Head Boy and Girl's rooms. Quickly giving the password she led them inside and to her room. "Alright here's what we're going to do, you're going to change into something comfortable and lay down and I'll charm all the windows so it's dark, and you try to get some rest. I'll be out in the common room working on my DADA essay so if you need anything just call alright?"

"No problem. Thanks Mione," Ginny said as she sat down on the bed.

"You're welcome Gin. And don't forget, later I want details about Kat's wedding," she winked at her as she cast the charms to block out the sunlight then quickly slipped out of the room after leaving a bucket by the bed, just in case.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Sunday February 22nd, 1998  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
The Head Boy and Girl's Rooms  
Hermione's Room  
11:24 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

A week had passed since the first morning Ginny had bolted from the Great Hall to find a bathroom, an occurrence that Hermione saw happen far too many times in the days that followed. It didn't seem to matter what Ginny ate, or how little as most meals she ended up just pushing things around her plate, afterwards she was usually found in the closest lavatory where Hermione would join her with a glass of water and take her back to her rooms. This morning had been no exception, and had been why after Hermione actually resorted to a mild sleep spell to get Ginny to relax long enough to fall asleep while she sought out her boyfriend to inform him that Ginny wouldn't be able to play that match. Not that Harry was all that surprised, he'd seen Ginny turn rather green when Ron was rambling on about the coming match and how there would no doubt be some spectacular dives and such today, she'd actually seen Harry smack the back of Ron's head as she made her way after the youngest Weasley.

She had gone to wish Harry luck before the game started, then made her way back to her rooms to watch over Ginny, debating if she should actually mention the idea that had popped into her head a few nights before...

"Mione?" Ginny asked sleepily a while later. "Oh Gods, not again," she mumbled as she practically fell out of the bed and ran for the bathroom.

Hermione quickly followed after her, repeating the same ritual that had progressed throughout the week, providing the glass of water and sitting back when Ginny had slumped against the opposite wall. "You look like hell Gin."

"Thanks…I think," Ginny sighed as she sat back. "I feel like crap."

"Feel up to going back to the bed?"

"Please…"

Hermione rose and helped Ginny up before getting her back into bed, instead of going back to her homework she curled up next to the red-haired girl and sighed, "Gin...I was thinking about something."

"About what?" asked Ginny curiously.

"About why you've been so sick."

"It's the stomach flu nothing more Mione."

"You sure about that?" Hermione countered quietly. "You haven't had a fever or a cough or any of the other symptoms of the flu, you're just tired and getting sick in the morning, and after every meal actually..."

"There's nothing else it could be Mione," countered Ginny tiredly as she fought a yawn. She'd noticed that she'd been much more tired than normal lately.

"Gin...are you sure you aren't pregnant?" she asked softly.

"What? No Hermione that's not…" Ginny trailed off as realization hit. "Oh Gods," Ginny cried quietly, hiding her face in her hands as tears started falling. "How could I have been so stupid…"

"Shh, it's okay," Hermione whispered as she wrapped her arms around Ginny and ran her hand through Ginny's hair. "I could be wrong..."

"It makes sense though," Ginny said through her tears. "I wrote it off as stress over the holiday and then with Kat's wedding but…He's gonna kill me…"

"Who's going to kill you?" Hermione frowned in confusion.

"How could I be so stupid…"

"You weren't stupid," Hermione argued.

"Wasn't I?" demanded Ginny. "I forgot to use the contraception charm and now…now I'm sixteen and pregnant. I don't even know if he _wants_ more children…"

"More?" Hermione nearly stuttered before shaking her head. "And no, you weren't stupid, you may have done something stupid but _you_ weren't stupid."

"What am I going to do? My parents are going to flip when they find out," Ginny panicked.

"Ginny, breathe," Hermione instructed as she caught Ginny's face in her hands and made her look at her. "We are not going to panic alright? You might not be pregnant, and even if you are, no matter what happens I'm going to be here and we'll get through this alright?"

"Promise me you won't abandon me through this? I need someone I can trust not to leave me."

"I promise Gin, I'm here for everything. No one's making me leave you, not even you."

"Thank you," Ginny said quietly as she hugged her friend.

"You're welcome," Hermione whispered as she held the redhead. Sitting back she reached up to brush a lock of hair back, "There's a book in the library on medical spells and healing charms. Do you want me to go get it and we can find out here instead of going to Madam Promfrey?"

"Would you mind? If I am pregnant, the last thing I want is the entire castle knowing, at least until I decide whether or not to tell the father," Ginny said.

"Of course not. I'll go and get it, and I'll stop in the kitchens and see if they can send up crackers and Ginger Ale, I think Dobby's started collecting it since he figures I have an addiction to it or something," she chuckled lightly. "Will you be okay for a little bit?"

"I think so. I think I'll just lie down and try and get some sleep while you're gone. I've been really tired lately," Ginny said as she lay back on the bed.

"Understandable," Hermione nodded as she rose. "I'll be back soon as I can."

"Okay," Ginny said closing her eyes.

The older girl watched her a moment before quickly making her way from the rooms and to the library to get the book, no questions even being asked as to why she wanted such a book, before heading to the kitchens where half a dozen elves were eager to help. Shaking her head she made her request of Dobby before making her way back out of the portrait hole and towards her own rooms once more.

Ginny was sleeping soundly on the bed, fortunately, and Hermione found a comfortable spot to sit and read the section she was looking for while munching on a bag of chips she had stashed in her trunk while her friend slept.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Friday April 10th, 1998  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – Ekaterina and Tom's rooms  
Tom's Bedroom  
10:05 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Katia… Katia wake up."

Groaning she managed to pry one eye open as she looked up at the smiling face of her husband. "Go away."

"Can't do it Katia, it's time to get up little one," he countered gently as he sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed his fingers through her mess of currently black hair.

"Don't call me that," she muttered before rolling over to her back so she could look at him. "You're too cheerful in the morning."

"Come on Katia, you need to wake up. Ginny is coming today," Tom countered with a smile that turned into a grin when she sat up wide awake.

"Move!" she instructed with a slight glare. "I can't believe I haven't seen her in almost eight weeks."

He shook his head before rising so she could get up and head towards the bathroom of the rooms they shared, before following after to watch her as she climbed into the shower. "Why do I suspect I won't be seeing you for quite some time today?"

"Because you won't!" she called back over the water. "Now shoo, so I can get ready!"

"Crazy woman," he chuckled before making his way out of the room, leaving her to her shower and thoughts.

Shaking her head she reached out for the shampoo while her mind wandered over the previous two months since her wedding and the last time she saw her best friend. She and Tom has spent only a week in Japan, contrary to the article that had been published in the Daily Prophet, before returning back to Malfoy Manor where the West Wing had in essence become their private residence. He had always had rooms there at the manor in the East Wing like Severus, keeping those rooms even after Draco had for all intents and purposes inherited the East Wing, so it had been a simple matter of moving his things to the other side of the house, which Lacey had overseen while they arranged the rooms that now belonged to the two of them. They each had their own bedroom, sharing the large bathroom, and had a private study for each of them on the other side of their bedrooms. Her bedroom and study the same she had had since she came home from Beauxbatons, the bathroom merely enlarged and connected to Tom's bedroom.

Truth was, she spent more time in her husband's bedroom than her own, though he never complained when she decided she wanted a night to herself in her own room, especially as of late with her mood swings starting to go just a little bit crazier than normal… blasted hormones. Grinning Kat did a little dance in the shower before laughing at herself, she couldn't help it though, couldn't wait to tell Ginny her news.

The familiar sound of flapping wings drew her attention towards the door and she chuckled before opening it to let the bird in so she could have a shower too, and focused completely on her shower. After she was sure the bird was done too, she made her way out of the bathroom, leaving Aíne on a pile of towels in the window seat of her bedroom before hunting down something to wear for the day. Once dressed, her hair pulled back to dry in a braid, she slipped the chain around her neck that held her husband's wedding band, and made her way through the house towards the dinning room in the North Wing, not surprised to find her brother and Blaise already there waiting for hugs.

"What time is Gin supposed to arrive?" Blaise asked as a plate of toast appeared in front of her as well as a cup of mint tea.

"Just around noon, and she's bringing a friend," Kat explained as she added the sugar and cream to her tea.

"She is?" Tom asked surprised.

"Mm hmm."

"Who would she be bringing..." Blaise glanced at Draco before his eyes widened, "She's bringing Granger?"

"Don't know what you're talking about lover," Draco shrugged before looking back at his food.

"She asked if she could bring a friend, I didn't think it would be an issue," Kat spoke quietly, her voice daring any of those gathered to argue.

"Of course it's not Kitten," Lucius agreed softly as he looked at Tom.

"Good," she nodded, "Blaise, Dra, you guys still want to do the hunt on Sunday?"

"Sure," Blaise agreed after a moment.

"I'll let Lacey know so she and the other Elves can set it up then," she smiled before taking the paper Tom handed her. "And be nice," she sent her husband a look before opening the paper.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Friday April 10th, 1998  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – The Parlour  
12:01 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Stop pacing they'll be here any minute," Kat snapped at Blaise who merely rolled his eyes before sitting down.

"Want some chocolate Kitty?" Draco asked carefully, it hadn't happened over night, but as the previous eight weeks past, her temper got shorter and shorter over the oddest things, Lucius had merely smiled and explained from what he'd heard over the years, his mother had been the same way. Bloody scary she'd been after nine months, he had added before reminding them they would be safer to _not_ mention that to Kat.

She looked over at him and eyed him warily before smiling and holding out her hand. He merely chuckled and summoned a couple of truffles. Just as she went to bite one, their attention was drawn to the centre of the room when two figures appeared. Before anyone could say anything though, the red-haired figure promptly raced out of the room.

"I'll just..." Hermione pointed after her before stopping, "Um, where's the nearest bathroom?" she asked as she looked between the two faces she recognized, and the one that was quite obviously Kat.

"I'll show you," Kat made her way over, "I'm Kitty by the way, though Ginny calls me Kat, you can too," she smiled as she linked arms with Hermione and led her out of the room and towards the nearest bathroom.

"Hermione," she nodded, "Nice to meet you finally."

"You too," Kat smiled before stopping in front of the door, "Ginger, it's Hermione and I, can we come in?" she asked as she knocked gently on the door.

A few minutes later the door opened to reveal a rather pale looking Ginny. "Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi," Kat smiled, "Don't you just hate portkeys?"

"You could say that," Ginny replied, sharing a look with Hermione.

"Want to avoid the boys and just go get settled in yours and Hermione's rooms?" she asked gently.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," Kat rolled her eyes. "Come on, you're in different rooms then last time, I thought you might want to be together and there's a room a bit down the hall from where you were that is actually a double suite," she explained as she linked her other arm with Ginny's. "Lacey can't _wait_ to see you; she's been making sure every sweet she knows you like is made in preparation."

"That was sweet of her but it really wasn't necessary, Kat," Ginny said as Hermione fell into step with them as they made their way through the halls.

"That Elf never listened to anyone when she has her mind set on something," Kat explained with a shrug. "We'll have to give Hermione the tour later after you've both had a chance to relax," Kat looked over at her and smiled. "And just to let you know, there's nothing major going on this time, no big dinners or such like Christmas. But we do have a variation of an egg hunt on Sunday you're both invited to join. The Elves have a grand time creating a scavenger hunt of sorts, a different one for each person involved, they've been doing it for years for Draco, Blaise and I, still do it even though we all claimed years ago we were too old," she rolled her eyes, "But to my knowledge that's the only thing going on right now. Oh and just to give you a head's up, Tom's gone for a few days so you don't have to worry about running into him," she continued quickly.

"A scavenger hunt would be fun," Hermione smiled gently.

"It is, they're very inventive, and the prize is usually some sort of chocolate. They make their own creations for it, one year they made an exact replica of my bird out of chocolate, life size at that even used melted candy to paint it so it looked like Aíne's twin..."

"That must have been a sight to see," commented Ginny.

"It was, couldn't eat it actually. Memory serves me, Draco and Blaise traded me their stash and then I nearly killed them when a few days later I walked into a room to see them in the process of cutting the head off and for a brief moment I thought it was actually Aíne...Needless to say, they haven't done another replica of any companions, for obvious reasons," she chuckled as she stopped them in front of a door. "Here we are then," she slipped free of them both to open the door so they could enter. "Key's on back of the door like last time Gin, and there's a door out of the other sitting room," she continued as she shut the door behind them and let them move further into the private sitting room they had entered.

"I think I'm going to be sick again," grumbled Ginny who was currently a light shade of green.

"Right this way," Kat caught her hand and led her through the archway that led to the bedroom and to the door that opened to the bathroom, Hermione on their heels. Unfortunately, it never quite crossed Kat's mind that the first actual time hearing Ginny sick would send her in search of the sink as it was the nearest thing, leaving poor Hermione unsure of what to do even as she moved to Ginny's side to hold her hair back.

"Why now?" asked Ginny quietly. "Why is this happening now?"

"Unfortunately, I can't quite answer that Gin," Hermione whispered, "Though... I have a feeling unless Kat has a weak stomach, you might not be the only one with this particular... issue," she glanced over to where Kat had sunk to the floor by the sink, which still had water running in it, and was staring up at the ceiling.

"Water?" Kat asked after a moment as she lowered her head to look at them before a glass of water floated towards them.

"Thanks," Ginny said as Hermione handed her the glass. "I think I should lie down for awhile. What time is dinner, Kat?"

"Six-thirty. You two are free to decide who gets which room," she waved a hand between the two doors. "And if you haven't heard Hermione, there's a key to each of the outside doors, you have to have the key to get in unless it's me, even my husband hasn't gained the right to use an unlocking spell on any of the doors, drives him bloody crazy especially when I get pissed at him and lock him out of wherever I'm at. If you want anything, just call out the name Lacey, she'll come... actually I should probably introduce you to her..." she frowned before pushing herself up. "Want one of us to help you to a room Ginger?"

"Why don't you get Lacey while Hermione helps me to a room," Ginny suggested as Hermione helped her to her feet.

"Sure," she nodded before watching them go and calling for Lacey.

"This one's fine Mione," Ginny said as they walked into the first of the two bedrooms. "This is the last bloody thing I need. What am I going to do if I can't keep anything down at dinner?" she asked as she sat down on the bed.

"Well, we can blame it on a stomach bug for today and tomorrow, and we'll figure something out for later," Hermione offered. "This might just be the sign that you're going to have to tell him sooner rather than later Gin..."

"But we never even talked about the possibility of this happening," Ginny said as tears started falling due to her increasing anxiety.

"Well, that was rather stupid of us, but what's done is done. And besides, I'm here so... I'm not constantly being called the smartest witch of my age for nothing, we'll figure it out. Try not to panic, it's not good for you or…" she looked down pointedly towards Ginny's abdomen.

"I know," Ginny sighed, wiping away a few of the tears. "It's just…I'm more stressed about being here than I thought."

"I know Gin," Hermione whispered, brushing her hand through Ginny's hair, "Come on, you need to get some rest, I'll go meet this Lacey and then I'll be back and we'll relax until dinner. Though I'm fairly certain Kat wouldn't say anything or be that upset if you choose to not attend dinner tonight..."

"Okay," Ginny said as she lay down on the bed, curling into a protective ball in the process.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Friday April 10th, 1998  
Malfoy Manor  
The North Wing  
Outside the Dining Room  
6:25 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Hello," Kat spoke as she walked up behind where Ginny and Hermione were standing in the hallway a few feet from the door that led to the dinning room.

"Hi," Ginny said, turning to face her friend.

"Hello," Hermione greeted.

"How are you feeling, Ginger?" she asked gently.

"A little better," Ginny replied, looking at Hermione for a moment before turning back to Kat. "I've been fighting the stomach flu the past couple of days," she said, using the excuse she and Hermione had come up with earlier that day to account for her throwing up earlier.

"Oh that's evil," Kat sighed, "Though I'll admit I'm jealous, Gods willing your stomach bug will go away in a few days. Oh I need to talk to you after dinner, I have news to share, and you are certainly welcome to come," she focused on Hermione. "I hope we can get to know each other, seeing as we have this lovely one as a mutual friend."

"I'd love to. Ginny's told me so much about you," Hermione smiled.

"Same here," she winked before focusing on Ginny, "So, want to try eating? It's just the usual family that's here so no one extra," she glanced over at Hermione, "My brother and Blaise will be there along with my father and Draco's and my godfather, Professor Snape. But we all call him Severus, or occasionally Draco calls him Sevvie, drives him batty. Though you might already know this..." she trailed off with a self-conscious shrug.

"Dinner with Slytherins…should be interesting," commented Hermione. "You okay?" she asked Ginny.

"I'll give it a try," Ginny said.

"You know, I swear a great many Slytherins might take that the wrong way," Kat giggled, "Trust me, it's going to be very interesting," she continued before turning to Ginny, "And you, don't hesitate to leave if you feel the need to. You're sick, I have half a mind to tell you to get back up to your rooms and sleep and Lacey will bring you something, but I'm not going to start mothering you, I do it enough to Draco and Blaise and they're practice enough."

At hearing Kat's last comment, Ginny shot Hermione a look as both girls remembered Hermione's comments from earlier.

"Anyway," Kat glanced up at the ceiling before focusing on them, "Should we?" she nodded towards the door.

"Of course," Hermione said. "Come on, you can show me where I'm supposed to sit," she said linking arms with Ginny.

Ginny looked back over her shoulder towards Kat, not sure of the seating arrangement now that Hermione had joined them.

"Come on, we're all on the same side, you're in the middle actually, Hermione's on the side by Sev and I'm next to Daddy," she explained as she slipped an arm through Hermione's since Ginny was still by the wall so her other side was a bit hard to reach.

Opening the door, Kat went in first, with Hermione slightly behind her and Ginny slightly behind her, so they could all fit. Severus, Draco, Blaise and Lucius were already seated and looked towards them.

"Hello Ginevra, Miss Granger," Severus smiled towards them while Draco and Blaise just grinned.

"Daddy, this is Ginny's friend Hermione, Hermione this is my father, Lucius," Kat introduced as they neared the table and she separated from Hermione to go to her seat next to Lucius, "You already know my godfather, brother, and his boyfriend," she nodded towards the three.

"Hello Professor," Hermione greeted after a moment, when she'd come out of her shock at having the dour potions master actually smile at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Malfoy," she said taking her seat.

"And you Miss Granger," Lucius replied.

"Wait did you say boyfriend?" asked Hermione when her brain caught up with what Kat had said about Draco and Blaise.

"Well done Kitty, we were trying so hard to keep that quiet at school," Draco drawled lazily.

"Oh stun me," she shot back while rolling her eyes. "You know it had to come out eventually considering if memory serves me you're planning on making it legal at some point. At least you better be planning to make my brother an honest man," she turned her look to Blaise who gulped before nodding quickly. "Good."

"Bloody hell Kitty, I thought it was the brother's job to be overprotective."

"When you're the elder sibling in whatever life comes after this, by all means be overprotective of your younger siblings, until then, I'm older, so it's my job," she shrugged.

"If you ignore the terrible twosome," Blaise shook his head as he focused on Hermione, "Nice to see you again Hermione, and yes, Dra and I have been in a relationship for some time, though I'm sure you can understand why we keep that fact quiet at Hogwarts..."

"My lips are sealed, I swear it on Gryffindor's sword," Hermione said, Ginny's slight hesitation at Kat's comment about being an older sibling had not missed her notice either.

"Thank you," Blaise and Draco chorused as appetizers appeared at everyone's plates.

"So, how is business going Kitty?" Severus asked after a moment.

"Good, oh I didn't tell you, one of my mares took first place at the show in the States last week."

"Congratulations," Severus smiled.

"Thank you," she smiled before looking at the others, "How are you three doing with preparing for N.E.W.T.s? I remember I was a basket case preparing for mine."

"Yours were in French," Draco pointed out with a snort, "You would of course be a basket case while we're perfectly fine."

"Speak for yourself, besides French isn't that hard to master," Blaise shot him a look.

"Well, except for him," Kat smirked into her juice.

"I've been a little preoccupied lately so I haven't had much chance to study but I'm far enough ahead that it shouldn't be a problem," Hermione said, making sure not to look at Ginny so people wouldn't figure out that it was Ginny that had her so preoccupied.

"And how goes Quidditch Ginevra? Over your issues from before Christmas?" asked Lucius, trying to draw Ginny out.

"Oh! Uhm…fine," Ginny said, keeping her eyes on her salad as she pushed it around the plate in front of her.

"What about you two?" Severus focused on the boys, "Anything interesting going on at school?" he glanced over at Hermione, "As you can imagine, as much as I am quite close to my godson, when we're at Hogwarts he can be nothing more than a student."

"Of course," replied Hermione, breathing a sigh of relief at the change in subject.

"So, you were saying..." Severus focused on them.

"Well classes are classes, Potions is the hardest of course," Blaise smirked.

"Flattery will not affect your grades Blaise," Severus drawled, causing the others to laugh.

"God knows we've been trying for _years_," Draco agreed with a smirk.

"Well what about you Dra, you have any interesting things to share?" Kat asked as the next course of dinner appeared, soup that both Kat and Ginny were giving a wary eye before Kat waved her hand a certain way and her's disappeared. Glancing at Ginny she reached over and waved her hand the same way so Ginny's vanished as well, "It looked odd," she offered with a shrug.

"Considering you're odd, that's interesting," Draco smirked before shrinking in on himself at her glare. "Oh! Did you hear? Goyle's going to be a brother," he announced, causing both Severus and Lucius to choke on the spoonful of soup they had just taken, while Kat promptly choked on her juice.

"He's procreating _again_!" Kat turned horrified eyes to Lucius, "I thought there was that accident and...Oh by the Gods, my children have to grow up with a Goyle too?"

"Just think, three generations of Malfoys having to put up with Goyles, and it's only two generations of them..." Draco rolled his eyes. "Honestly though, other than the fact it's Goyle and he's not got a bloody clue, can you honestly imagine having a sibling so much younger than you?"

"Draco, I'm seven years older than you," Kat pointed out rolling her eyes.

"Well yes, that's seven years, but seventeen? That's just bloody ridiculous. No one should have siblings that far apart in age, why you'd be old enough to be your sibling's parent!"

"Excuse me," Ginny said suddenly before forcing her chair back causing it to scrape across the marble floor before bolting from the room, tears in her eyes.

"You're a prick Malfoy," Hermione said pushing her chair back. "Just when I start to think you're not what you appear, you go and prove me wrong by showing me just what an arrogant bastard you are," she said as she threw her napkin onto the table and took off after Ginny.

"Well done Dra," Kat muttered before following after the two other women, leaving Draco looking at the other men in confusion. She had a good guess where they were headed and actually managed to get to the doors of their rooms around the same time they did. Waving her hand she unlocked the nearest door to let them enter without fussing with keys.

"Come on Ginny," Hermione said as she led her friend into their rooms. "Let's get your stuff together and I'll contact the Headmaster and we'll get you back to Hogwarts," she said as she led Ginny over towards the bed, where she laid the other girl down.

Kat made her way to the bed and sat down on the edge before waving her hand and much to Hermione's surprise, all of their things began moving from the closet and wardrobe to fold in piles before moving into the bags that appeared. "So, two questions before you head home..."

"It depends on the questions," commented Hermione.

"Weren't for you I'm afraid Hermione, not that you aren't simply lovely, I just don't think we're quite close enough for me to ask you to be my child's godmother," Kat glanced at her with a smile before focusing on Ginny.

"No offence Kat, but _now_ really is _not_ the best time for this," Hermione countered.

Kat glanced at her and shook her head, "Considering I highly suspect my best friend is about to run and never return to this house and I simply won't be able to go into Hogsmeade anymore considering I'm carrying the supposed Dark Lord's child...it seems to be now or never. Besides," she waved her hand, "there is the matter of my little brother or sister, and figuring out some means of making sure my best friend is completely taken care of and where I can come and spoil her and the baby rotten without anyone knowing, and that would be quite hard to plan by letter without it at least being out in the open," she continued, focused completely on Ginny now, smiling softly.

"It's tw…ins…" Ginny said, her answer trailing off as she hissed suddenly in pain, curling in on herself.

"Ginny!" Hermione cried in concern as she rushed to her friend's side.

"Good lords," Kat blinked once before snapping into action, "Has she seen anyone at all?" she looked at Hermione as she moved off the bed while casting a pain-relieving spell.

"She's been too terrified to see Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said as she took Kat's place next to Ginny, quickly taking her hand.

"Right," Kat nodded before focusing on Ginny, "Ginger, do you trust me?" she asked softly but with an edge to her voice to show she was serious in her question. "I promise I won't let Daddy find out or anyone else."

"It hurts Kat," Ginny whimpered.

"I know Ginger love, hang on we're going to get help," she whispered before conjuring a piece of paper and writing a quick message on it before sending it on it's way before either of the younger witches could protest.

"I could so use an unforgivable on your brother right about now," Hermione said.

"Relax, I'll take care of him," Kat glanced at her, "Bloody terrified of me right now anyway with me being a raving lunatic when you piss me off. Only one that isn't terrified of me is my husband, and that's merely because he's bonded to me I think..." she shrugged before there was a knock on the door. "Trust me," she focused on Ginny before heading to the door, opening it long enough to drag in the figure standing there before she shut, locked, and put a silencing charm around the room. "Nothing to Daddy," she hissed at him.

Severus merely raised his eyebrows before following her to the bedroom and stopping in shock, "Merlin's blood," he cursed lightly before hurrying over to the side of the bed, already casting more than one spell, "It's going to be alright Ginevra," he spoke gently before focusing on Hermione, "We'll have to talk later," he spoke before turning back to Ginny and the scrolls that appeared in the air from his spells telling him everything he needed to know.

"Yes Professor," replied Hermione quietly. "Is Ginny going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine," he answered shortly as he began to cast spells.

"He's the best in my opinion," Kat began quietly, "He never trusted Mother, so started researching when Daddy first told him and Tom she was pregnant. Daddy always said if it wasn't for Sev, I wouldn't have made it after being born so early. Never was quite sure why he kept up with the information after Draco came along but... he's the only one I trust to help with my pregnancy, only one I trust to help her."

"If something goes wrong…" Hermione trailed off. "I knew better than to try to help her on my own but what was I supposed to do? She was so scared."

"Don't," Kat reached over and caught Hermione's hand, "Mione, you're eighteen years old, you're still in school. You have so very much on your plate being part of Dumbledore's war... you did the best you could, did what she needed you to," she looked between Ginny and Hermione, "You did the right thing, out of all the options given, you did the one that was best. Never doubt that. And those babies will be just fine; they've got Weasley and Malfoy blood in them, stubborn to the core, I it know already. And Severus is the best there is. With the three of us, we're not letting them go anywhere."

"What's wrong with her Professor?" asked Hermione nervously.

"Too much stress and she hasn't been taking care of herself like she should," he explained as he lowered his wand and reached out to brush his hand over Ginny's forehead, she had drifted off from the number of spells he cast. "The babies are fine, as is Ginevra. We'll need to make sure she starts taking the potion," he looked at Kat who nodded, "There's a potion, similar to the vitamins that Muggles use. And no, don't blame yourself for any of this, Miss Granger. You didn't grow up in our world, and they don't exactly teach anything about medicine at Hogwarts, nor do they keep books at the school that actually explain more beyond the absolute basics in regards to healing. Only thing the books have is how to perform a contraceptive spell and the charm that tells if a patient _**is**_ pregnant, I imagine that's how you figured out she was," he smiled lightly. "Shall we move to the sitting room? We'll be able to hear her if she needs us. I think we need to discuss a few things and come up with a plan. Since I've already sworn to my Goddaughter that I wouldn't inform Lucius of the fact he's about to be a father again... we need to figure out what to do to take care of Ginevra and her children."

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Saturday April 11th, 1998  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – Ginny and Hermione's Rooms  
Ginny's Bedroom  
9:10 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Morning Ginger," Kat smiled as Ginny opened her eyes.

"Morning?" asked Ginny in confusion as she tried to push herself into a seated position against the headboard.

"You slept all night," Hermione explained as she joined the two on the bed, sitting on Ginny's other side from Kat. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure," Ginny admitted looking between her two friends. "Was that really Professor Snape last night?"

"Yes, that was Papa," Kat agreed as she summoned a glass of water and held it out.

"Oh Gods," Ginny groaned as her head dropped into her hands.

"Breathe," Kat instructed gently. "Severus has been sworn to secrecy."

"Turns out, he knows everything there is to know about pregnancies and such," Hermione continued with a slight shrug. "You and the babies are both fine, but he's provided a potion you need to start taking and we came up with a plan last night, the three of us..." she glanced over at Kat before focusing on Ginny.

"A…a potion?" asked Ginny in confusion. "A…a plan?"

"You and Hermione have been doing a wonderful job these last few months, but to be honest it wasn't enough," Kat began gently. "And it's neither of your faults; there just isn't the information at Hogwarts for Mione to be able to really do anything. And it makes perfect sense you wouldn't go to Pomfrey, to be honest I'm a bit happy that you didn't go to the woman, I trust her about as far as I can throw her without magic, she's in Dumbledore's camp..." she shook her head lightly, "But that is neither here nor there."

"What she's trying to say and failing," Hermione smiled slightly, "Is that what we've been doing hasn't been enough for you and the babies. There's a potion that is given to pregnant women that I never knew about, it basically provides essential vitamins and such that your body needs right now. Professor Snape is going to make it so you can take it every other day."

"There's a few other things, we got to get you to start eating more, and so we're going to have to figure out what things your stomach can tolerate while you're in a period with the sickness. But we can work on that slowly, and there's a potion that Severus can do that makes up for not being able to eat anything, fortunately it has a very nice taste so you don't have the urge to get sick after taking it that often."

"Any ideas on how I'm going to manage at school when I'm as big as a house?"

"Glamours," Kat offered, "It can be done," she nodded, "Although there is always the option of not being at the school when you enter your third trimester, if not sooner."

"That's not exactly an option Kat," Ginny sighed.

"Ginger," Kat sighed as well, "I'm going to be blunt and honest here. Screw your family, save the twins... Screw the Wizarding World; screw Hogwarts for crying out loud. You're pregnant; you're going to be giving birth to two very healthy and active babies in August most likely. Now you might be able to make it through the next two and a half months at school, you might not. No matter what, you're not alone in this, you have Hermione, Severus and I, and God willing if we can talk some sense into you, you'd have a lot more people. But even if you don't and it's just us, I've already started looking into things; I have a house in France that we can set up for you and the babies..."

"And I'll be with you wherever you go," Hermione agreed quickly. "We'll make this work Gin."

"Mione no," Ginny said, looking at her friend. "I'm not going to let you throw away your life because of my bloody fuck up. This was my mistake, not yours. I'm not going to stand by and watch you pay for my stupidity."

"Who said I'm throwing my life away?" Hermione countered, "Gin I'm already ready to take my N.E.W.T.s, it's not like I have to study all that much, I'm not called the brightest witch of my age for nothing. Besides, you didn't make a mistake; you love him for crying out loud, nothing done from love is ever a mistake. Regardless, one of those babies is my Godchild even if you haven't asked me yet; you're not going to do this on your own."

"What she said," Kat nodded, "Though in my case, those babies are my little brother or sister or brothers or sisters, whatever the case... You're my best friend Ginger, you're stuck with both Mione and I whether you like it or not, so better just accept it. You know you can't beat us both, we'll use chocolate as weapons."

"If you stay by me Mione, you'll be jeopardizing your relationship."

Hermione shook her head, "I already considered that Gin, and as I see it, if Harry can't accept that I am going to be beside you no matter what, then it's going to be his loss. Besides, as much as I yelled at Draco last night for being a prick, he isn't that bad a guy, sticks his foot in his mouth rather far but...There's more to the Malfoys than any of us ever saw, and we can't judge people just because of name anymore, we've all learned that with regards to Professor Snape and Kat here seems proof that you can't judge a person by their name..."

"And how's he going to feel when he finds out you're associating with the man Dumbledore wants him to kill?" asked Ginny quietly.

"Well, considering no one even knows Kat is married to Voldemort..."

"Tom," Kat interjected. "Voldemort is a name he created as a teenager and used merely as a tool to keep others from being able to find those he cared about who were a part of his life under his real name."

"Okay, Tom," Hermione nodded slowly, "God that's odd, Dumbledore was the only one to ever call him Tom..."

"Anyway..." Kat interjected with a small smile.

"Oh yeah, well no one knows Kat is married to Tom, and I'm not about to go advertising that information so... what Harry doesn't know won't hurt either of us I guess is the best way of putting it. Besides, maybe he's not that bad, if she's happily married to him and Kat's definitely not crazy so..." she shrugged.

"No, but I am," grumbled Ginny.

"You're not crazy," Kat argued.

"Aren't I?" countered Ginny. "You're at least married to the man that fathered the child you're carrying whereas I'm doing everything I can to keep my pregnancy hidden from my babies' father and add to that I'm hiding out in the very same house in which he lives, afraid to tell him for fear of his rejection."

"You think I wouldn't be doing the same thing if I was in your shoes? That anyone wouldn't?" Kat shot back with a roll of her eyes, "Ginger, we're talking about my father, he's a bit intimidating to anyone except me, Tom, and Severus."

"And I highly doubt he wants to be saddled with a pregnant sixteen year old girl and two crying infants," commented Ginny.

"My father is every bit the head of an old money family he was raised to be, the cold appearance to the world while the real man is known to a select few. But he cares about you Gin, I would even say he loves you, but I doubt you'd be able to completely believe that unless he was the one to tell you. Gin, if I know my father, he'd be beyond thrilled about those two and he wouldn't send you away or anything like you might be thinking."

"And your brother? He made it quite clear last night that any new additions to your family had better be of the niece and or nephew variety, _not_ the sibling variety," countered Ginny. "Believe me Kat, I _want_ to be with your father more than anything in this world, you _know_ that. You know how long I've wanted him, how I let him go in the Department of Mysteries two years ago…but I…I can't…I'm…I'm afraid…no… _terrified_…"

"Shh, Draco was being an idiot last night. He's not dealing well with me being pregnant and pretty much is going off on anything regarding pregnancies. Honestly I don't think he actually feels that way, he was just trying to get me riled up."

"Whether he meant it or not, he still said it," Ginny said as she lay back down in the bed, curling towards Hermione.

"I know Ginger girl, I know," Kat agreed as she reached out to brush her hand through her hair. "Want to stop talking and worrying and maybe try eating something?"

"I don't think I can keep anything down right now," Ginny said quietly.

"Okay," she nodded, "Well, would you like to do something else then? Or want to sleep a bit more?"

"I just want to sleep…"

"Okay Gin, we'll be nearby," Hermione whispered.

"And if we happen to not be in the room, just call for Lacey, she'll find us. But we probably won't go far," Kat continued gently. "Sweet dreams Ginger love."

"Okay…"

"Kat we have to do something," Hermione said quietly once they were outside of Ginny's room, having heard her friend start crying as they left.

Kat sighed and rubbed at her eyes, "I have half a mind to go find my father and lock him in here to listen to her cry and he can deal with everything. I know he's not going to turn on her..." she trailed off with another sigh as she leaned against the wall. "He loves her, he might not realize it yet, but he does. If anything I'm afraid that he wouldn't know what to do, he never loved my mother, never even had an example of two people in love to look to and see..."

"Even Ginny's flying blind in this instance," Hermione said. "Ever since the incident with the Chamber of Secrets she's been afraid to let anyone get really close, course most people didn't want to get close to her, even her parents started pushing her away to an extent, their reaction to her and Harry breaking up is a perfect example of how they've treated her over the years. Not even Harry managed to get as close to her as your father and I think that's why she's so scared. She's kept everyone at a distance; did you notice how she tried to push us away?"

"I saw," Kat nodded, "And I know, we've been talking since the Chamber, I knew more about her feelings regarding it than anyone else... As for her parents, I've never had anything but contempt for Arthur Weasley, following his foolish father," she shook her head before straightening and looking off to the distance for a moment. "This time of day, Daddy is out in the garden for a few minutes of peace between meetings," she mused before looking at Hermione. "I need to go check on my horses, would you like to come?"

"I think I'll stay close to Ginny," Hermione said, making a mental note of where she could find Lucius once Kat had left.

"Of course," Kat smiled before heading off down the hall, she had horses to check on, and a brother to beat sense into, while she had no doubt Hermione would be hunting down her father. Ginny was going to kill them both...

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Saturday April 11th, 1998  
Malfoy Manor  
The West Wing – Ginny and Hermione's Rooms  
Ginny's Bedroom  
1:37 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

He'd lost track of how long he'd been standing there, just watching her sleep. He could barely believe what Hermione had told him, which was what led to him coming to Ginny's room after their conversation, wanting to hear the words from Ginny herself. It was true that his intentions in regards to Ginny at first had been nothing more than simple seduction in order to return her family to its rightful place at Tom's side but ever since he'd laid eyes on her at Christmas, something inside of him had changed. He was the first to admit that he had never loved his wife; Narcissa had not been his choice. She was chosen for him since their births by their parents and he knew everyday of his life that he was destined to marry her so he never let himself feel any kind of affection for another. It wasn't until his children were born that he started to understand what love was.

Ginny had confused him ever since he first started trying to seduce her. She didn't fall for the same trinkets the other women did. By sending the more expensive items back she showed that her affection could not be bought with money or with trinkets. He had always known she had an inner fire, which she had no shame in showing to him Christmas Eve when she shot him down before dinner but it wasn't until he found her in the gardens later that evening that he realized there was more to the girl than he had originally thought. He had never intended to bed her…seduce her yes but never bed her, that is until she kissed him. He was surprised when she did it but he was even more surprised that he didn't want it to end. When their lips had touched that first time, something inside of him ignited and he found he couldn't let her go. Even now, standing here watching her sleep, the knowledge of her condition fresh in his mind, he couldn't imagine her anywhere else but there with him. Now all he had to do was convince her of that but in order for him to do that he needed her to wake.

"Mione?" Ginny called quietly, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she tried to sit up, only to have her stomach object to her movements, sending her running to the bathroom.

Lucius never hesitated as he followed after her, holding her hair back as she was sick. He'd done it only once for Narcissa, when she was pregnant with Kat, she'd never let him near her again throughout the short pregnancy with their daughter, or the normal-length pregnancy with their son. He couldn't help but for a moment feel like he was where he belonged, helping the mother of his child, _children_, he corrected himself, at least in one of the few ways possible.

"Is this ever going to end?" Ginny mumbled as she rested her head against the toilet.

"I hear it depends on the woman, but it will, in time," he answered softly as he summoned a glass of water.

"Lucius!" Ginny cried in surprise as she pulled away from him rather awkwardly giving their current surroundings.

"Careful love, it wouldn't do to hit your head on the counter," he spoke softly as he moved back a bit to give her space before holding out the water.

"What are you doing here? Where are Hermione and Kat?" Ginny demanded, not making a move for the glass of water.

"Miss Granger is in the library and I believe I heard some of the paintings talking about a fight Kitten was having with Draco. He hasn't quite grasped the fact he needs to accept his sister is pregnant and that her temper is much shorter right now than he's used to."

"Why are you here? You're not supposed to be here…"

"Do you feel up to moving to the bedroom or sitting room?" he asked instead of answering.

"Bedroom please…it's closer," Ginny said quietly.

"Of course," he nodded before rising and offering his hands to help her up.

Ginny sat where she was for a few moments simply looking between Lucius and his outstretched hands before she slowly reached out and took his hands and allowed him to help her to her feet and back into the bedroom. "Thank you," she said, not meeting his gaze after he helped her back into the bed and propping her up against the headboard with her pillows.

"You're welcome," he whispered as he sat down before summoning the water once more and setting it on the table. "Now, you had a question for me I believe, I thought it might be more comfortable here..." he glanced around the room. "I've been trying to get a hold of you since February..." he began as he focused on her.

"About that…"

"You've been avoiding me," he surmised with a small smile.

"I have…I didn't want to but I…I didn't know what else to do," she shrugged.

"It's alright," he waved a hand a moment before lowering it, "I've been wanting to see you these last few weeks, there was something I wanted to tell you."

"Something you wanted to tell me? What in the world could you want to tell me?" Ginny asked, playing with the edge of the comforter covering her lap.

He sighed and looked down at the bed as well before looking up at her, "I had hoped for, I don't know, something a bit different for this, you deserve better than this..." he trailed off before reaching out and gently catching her chin to raise her eyes to his. "I'm not a young man Ginevra, nor am I particularly a good man; we both know how I've hurt you in the past and I would understand if you want nothing to do with me anymore, but I have to tell you. Somewhere, during all of this, I managed to fall completely in love with you."

"You love me?" Ginny asked in surprise.

"Very much, I think I have since Christmas Eve when you spoke back to me about the dress. You're fire..." he chuckled lightly. "It took me a while to realize it though; I've never been in love before so I didn't even know what it was I was feeling, until you started sending things back again."

"Oh Gods…you have no idea how much I've wanted to hear you say those words to me," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I've been so afraid you'd send me away…that you wouldn't want me…"

"Shh," he whispered as he moved forward and pulled her towards him, tangling the fingers of one hand in her hair as he rubbed her back with the other hand. "I'd never send you away Ginevra, _never_," he whispered in her ear.

"Not even if I'm pregnant?" asked Ginny, her face buried in his shoulder.

"Oh you silly girl," he sat back to raise her eyes to his once more, "You being pregnant would only give me more reason to never let you out of my sight for fear something could happen to you," he smiled softly as he brushed her tears away. "I love you Ginevra, and any child we might have together would be a gift from the Gods."

"What about two?"

"Twins?" he breathed before glancing down at her abdomen then back up at her face before she could blink. "Two?" he repeated, awe in his voice.

"Two…" Ginny nodded.

"Two," he repeated again before grinning, "We're having twins," he smiled before pulling her close then suddenly sliding back from her. "We need to have you looked over, make sure you three are alright... I don't trust Pomfrey or anyone that works with Dumbledore..."

"Professor Snape looked me over last night. After I ran from the dining room, Kat and Hermione got me up here and I started feeling severe pain," Ginny explained. "Kat summoned Professor Snape to look me over. I never went to Pomfrey, I was afraid of word getting to the Headmaster and my parents. Only Hermione ever knew until yesterday…"

"My very smart witch," he smiled before hesitantly letting a hand rest on the bump at her waist. "Good, then I know you're well if Severus looked at you... He took care of Ekaterina when she was so small, and he takes care of her now... I'm going to be a father and a grandfather within a matter of months," he straightened up a bit before chuckling, "Now that is a unique thought, but I love it just the same," he smiled once more before reaching up to cup her cheeks. "And you my beautiful girl are going to be a most amazing mother."

"You're not angry? I mean this isn't exactly something we planned on…"

"We didn't plan on anything, Ginevra," he countered with a smile, "And no, I'm not angry. I could never be angry," he continued gently as he brushed her hair back before leaning forward to press his lips against her forehead, then letting his forehead rest against hers. "I'm going to warn you of something."

"Warn me of something? Is this a good something or a bad something?" asked Ginny curiously if not a little nervously.

"A good something," he chuckled lightly. "Not today, because I don't want you to look back and think it was merely because I learned you were pregnant, but soon... I am going to ask you to marry me Ginevra Weasley, and I can only hope when I do, you'll say yes."

"You want to marry me?" asked Ginny in disbelief.

"Very much," he smiled, "I want you in my life, to be able to wake up with you in my arms every day, to grow old with you. I simply want you, and not as my mistress or some other thing, but as my wife."

Ginny was speechless. Lucius had just told her he wanted to give her the one thing she had always wanted but had accepted would never happen to her after the way she was treated when she and Harry broke up. Unable to find the words needed to express how she was feeling, she did the only thing she could think of and that was throwing herself into Lucius' arms.

Smiling to himself, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, placing kisses to her hair now and again before pulling back after a few minutes, "Now, what do you say we try and find something your stomach might be able to keep down?" he asked softly.

"Please," Ginny agreed. "I'm starving."

"I thought you might be," he chuckled lightly as he rose before offering his hands to help her up. "We might be able to see what it is that Kitten manages to keep down, perhaps it will work for you too..."

"Sounds good, but I think I should probably change first," Ginny said as she looked down at her nightgown.

"Well I think you look perfectly lovely, but if you think so..." he trailed off with a smile. "Do you want help?"

"As much as I'd love your help, if you help me we'll never make it out of here before dinner," Ginny smirked as she pushed Lucius out into the sitting room. "Five minutes," she told him before she closed the door and made her way into her closet where she pulled out an emerald green dress that had an empire waist, three-quarter length sleeves and ended at her knees. Once she'd slipped the dress on and found the matching pair of flat shoes, she ran her brush through her hair and made her way out into the sitting room, where Lucius was still waiting for her.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Sunday April 12th, 1998  
Wiltshire, England  
The Malfoy Manor - The North Wing  
The Parlour  
11:05 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"I take it the scavenger hunt went well," Severus mused as he entered the parlour where spread around the room were the five participants of this years hunt, all with a good size pile of chocolate in various shapes.

"It did," Kat smiled at him before glancing across the room where Ginny sat, giving both her and Hermione the evil eye, though nothing compared to the look she was sending Draco.

"Is it just me or does Ginny look like she wants to hit Draco with the worst curse she can think of?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Trust me, it's not you," Kat whispered back. "You didn't by chance go talk to my father last night, did you?"

"I may have accidentally bumped into him in the gardens yesterday afternoon," Hermione said shrugging.

"Smartest witch of your age might just be true," Kat smiled at her. "Then she's probably upset with us for telling... but she hasn't run off so Daddy must have gotten through to her..." she mused

"I'd say he has if the looks she's sending this way are any indication. I notice she hasn't eaten any of her candy or chocolate yet, wonder if she's still suffering from morning sickness this morning. It tends to hit for a few days then settle down for a while then hit her again for a few more days," Hermione said.

"Well, I did get a letter from Daddy last night asking what it was that I was able to keep down, so perhaps she was able to eat," Kat shrugged slightly before smiling towards Ginny.

"Well, any idea what we should do for the rest of the day?" Blaise asked, drawing the two from their conversation.

"Eat chocolate?" Kat suggested with a smile. "Beat my brother up..." she continued more to herself.

"You did that last night!" Draco grumbled.

"You deserved it," she shot back, rolling her eyes.

"But I didn't," commented Ginny quietly from her spot across the room.

"Oh, she's right, she didn't," Kat looked at Hermione and grinned, "Shall we sell tickets? Would you like to come see Sev? Lacey would gladly provide popcorn..."

"Popcorn sounds good," Hermione smiled.

"But, but, but..."

"You are an arrogant, self-righteous bastard, Draco Malfoy," Ginny growled.

"Huh?" he almost stuttered as he just started at her in shock.

"I thought Goyle was your friend and even if he's not he _is_ your housemate, I would think you might be the tiniest bit happy for him after learning about the upcoming addition to his family but no…all you care about is the fact that _you_ couldn't bear to have a sibling that was seventeen years younger than yourself."

"_That's_ what you're yelling at me about?" Draco stared at her. "For Merlin's sake, I didn't mean any of that. Okay, so yes, I'm upset Goyle's having a sibling but that's because we don't need anymore of his family running around, they're bloody idiots. I was _trying_ to get Kitty upset..."

"Well, you upset me too Draco or did my running from the room not tell you that. My Gods Draco, you nearly had me in St. Mungo's if it wasn't for Professor Snape," snarled Ginny.

"Why would you be upset though?" he frowned, confused, "I mean you're..." he started before his eyes grew wide and he suddenly looked between her and Lucius quickly. "Oh bugger..." he whispered while Blaise patted him on the back.

"I caught on about ten seconds before you," Blaise whispered.

"Okay um, I didn't mean what I said last night, honest Gin. Not a bit..." Draco began quickly, before promptly closing his mouth.

"I think what he's trying to say is he didn't mean the bit about having a sibling so much younger than him, but is also worried that I don't know," Lucius mused from where he sat next to Ginny on one of the couches.

"I sure hope he didn't mean he didn't want siblings so much younger than him because he's about to get two and yes Draco, your father knows, thanks to a certain set of cats," she said turning her gaze to Kat and Hermione.

"Wow, I have a sister cat now. Though lions don't eat kittens do they?" Kat glanced at Hermione.

"Well I don't, but we might have to worry about the lion across the room..." Hermione glanced at her before looking over at Ginny and ducking her head.

"Yes well I still can't believe you told him," commented Ginny.

"You weren't going to," Hermione pointed out softly.

"It was still _my_ choice Hermione," countered Ginny.

"And you would have walked away without ever telling him, breaking your heart. It wasn't my place but I couldn't bear to listen to you cry anymore," Hermione argued quietly while Kat leaned over to smack the back of Draco's head while Severus smacked Blaise's, knocking the two out of their stupor.

"Yes well, that's beside the point now," commented Lucius.

"Exactly," Hermione nodded before looking over at them quickly, "Well...that is...is it beside the point?"

"Breathing is good," Kat leaned over and mock whispered.

"Shut up," Hermione hissed back to which Kat merely raised her eyebrow.

"It is, since Lucius here refuses to let me out of his sight," Ginny said.

"So, this mean we get to plan not just one nursery but two now?" Kat asked with a smile, "Without having to find another house to put the second nursery in?"

"It does," agreed Ginny. "And we're going to be redecorating the master bedroom as well."

"Ginevra…" Lucius began only to close his mouth at the look he was getting from the young redhead.

"Well, it would seem to me that we have cause for a celebration," Severus smiled. "Congratulations Ginevra, Luc," he continued.

"Congratulations," Blaise echoed with a smile while Draco actually just grinned.

"Why am I afraid of that smile?" Kat looked between Ginny, Hermione, and her godfather.

"Because last time he had that smile it was when he and Blaise announced they were together?" Severus offered. "He's probably reached the ecstatic glee over being a big brother stage."

"Hey! Why haven't I gotten that smile over you being an uncle!" Kat glared at him.

"There's a difference between being a brother and an uncle?" Draco offered with a shrug. "Congratulations Father, Ginny, and I'm really sorry about being an idiot last night..."

"Sadly it's something you should get used to since you're going to be around forever, I don't think he's going to grow out of it," Blaise announced before ducking as Draco swiped at his head.

"It's easily fixed," Ginny shrugged. "It's called babysitting duty."

Everyone in the room, even Lucius, turned to stare at Ginny in shock, "You'd trust _**him**_ with babies?" Kat managed to get out. "Okay it's official, I never would have been a Gryffindor had I gone to Hogwarts, I'm nowhere near that brave."

"No, I trust Blaise," commented Ginny.

"Well yes, he is the trustworthy one," Kat nodded.

"Scare us why don't you," Blaise teased while Draco just shook his head.

"Makes you fear for any children they might have, doesn't it?" Severus agreed almost lazily before he rose, "But we were celebrating were we not?"

"We were," agreed Lucius. "We were celebrating the addition of three new Malfoys to the family, even if one will be a Riddle."

"That we were," Kat smiled as she stood, "I vote for fresh fruit as part of our celebration."

"In other words, you're having a craving again aren't you?" Blaise chuckled.

"Quite, and my husband isn't around to have to deal with such so..." she shrugged.

"Fruit it shall be, anything you would like Ginny?" Blaise looked over at her as he and Draco stood along with Hermione.

"Some watermelon if you have it," Ginny said as she stayed sitting exactly where she was, leaning against Lucius, who had wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Watermelon and assorted other fresh fruit coming up," Blaise nodded. "Dra I think you're going to have to hop over to the States, it's still watermelon season in Florida this time of year," he looked over at the blonde man as they headed out of the room.

"Be right back," Kat smiled at Ginny and her father before grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her out of the room with her, Severus following behind shaking his head as they could faintly hear Draco arguing over who should hop over to America since he always got a headache from using the Crossroads or from apparating across the Atlantic.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Thursday April 16th, 1998  
Wiltshire, England  
The Malfoy Manor  
The South Wing – The Master Bedroom Suite  
The new nursery  
4:27 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

Sunday passed as a day of celebration, mixed with many pillows being thrown at Draco throughout the day whenever he made a comment that would irritate his sister, but all in all it was quite a happy day. And first thing Monday morning found Kat and Hermione waiting outside Lucius', and now Ginny's, rooms to get to the red-haired girl once Lucius unfortunately had to leave for work at the Ministry. After they ate, thankfully with no visits to the restroom in Ginny's case, though the same wasn't true for Kat who disappeared to another bathroom in the house so they wouldn't have to hear, see, or smell; they set to work.

It had taken exactly one day surprisingly to redo the bedroom Ginny and Lucius shared, giving it a more feminine touch so she would be comfortable. From there they had tackled the second bedroom connected to the bathroom and the sitting room that belonged to the lady of the manor. The bedroom it was decided would be the nursery, at least for the first year of the twins' life. And the three spent Tuesday arranging the sitting room that was Ginny's, and bright and early Wednesday they curled up in the room to look over catalogues and plan not only Ginny's nursery, but Kat's which had claimed the rooms that had been Ginny's over the Christmas Holidays. So Wednesday had passed discussing themes and colours and furniture, while Draco and Blaise continued basically being their slaves as they had since Monday, getting them something to eat or a refill on a drink, much to Lacey's annoyance which meant they would hear the House Elf throwing things at them out in the hallways while they were in the room, causing no small amount of giggles among the three witches.

And then there was Tom. He had come back Tuesday afternoon to find the three knee deep in different colours of fabric comparing options and merely stayed leaning in the doorway until Kat turned, jumped three feet in the air and nearly fell over, well something, before being caught by her husband who had the quick thinking to apparate behind her. When they introduced Tom to Hermione, both Kat and Ginny couldn't help but giggle when Hermione had blurted out 'but you're not Voldemort, he's ugly as sin!'. They had explained later, about the potions and spells used to give him back his youth, well if youth in the sense that forties was younger than seventies, surprising Hermione even more by the amount of information they were giving someone who was dating his number one enemy and while not officially a part of, unofficially a part of the Order of the Phoenix. Kat had explained they trusted her, leaving it to Tom to explain things more and explain he had, but only after he'd taken a few moments to speak with Ginny that first night…

It had been different having Tom around, both Gryffindors were able to see just how much he seemed to completely differ from the man he had been described as, and how different he was from the 'Tom' Ginny had known five years before. He was kind, gentle, caring even, especially towards Kat. He didn't seem to be 'insane' in any way shape or form, nothing like he had acted at the Ministry, though none of them had even witnessed everything at the Ministry when he was there, or like Harry had described him all the times Harry had encountered him, or even how Albus and the other members of the Order described him. Both witches were left scratching their heads a bit, Ginny just shrugging and accepting it before approaching Tom and Lucius as they sat in the study that was Tom's in the West Wing, talking with Severus about this and that, related to the war they were unfortunately still fighting. She had quietly explained that she wanted to lay claim to the Weasley fortune, and asked for help doing so, to which the three had nodded, Severus said he'd get started in the morning arranging things while Tom merely smiled softly, Lucius explaining how things would proceed. She had talked to Tom after Severus had bid them goodnight, and she told Lucius she'd join him soon, and they had talked for a number of hours as Tom sat and told her his story of what had happened since the time she 'knew' him while she quietly explained what happened to her over the five years since, and a small bond was formed, the start of a real friendship given time.

That had been Tuesday night, much to Tom's surprise at being so soon after, in a way to Ginny's surprise as well but she had felt drawn to talk to him, to at least get things out in the open with the man who had been her first best friend, and was apparently one of her love's best friends, and the husband of her second best friend. It had been Hermione that Tom found Wednesday night, in the library reading up on the history of the war since the seventies that had been written down by various people, the history from a more unbiased point of view perhaps, or so it seemed at times as Hermione read it. She had been surprised when she looked up to see him, but none the less had begun to talk to him as he entered the library, and hours later he had left her to retire for the night with more thoughts running through her mind. Hearing the story from him, hearing of the mistakes he'd made, the things that led to him turning around and choosing the path he, Lucius, Severus and the others walked upon, gave her a new perspective. The rest of the night she had sat up, considering everything she knew from Albus and the other members of the Order, considering everything she had learned from Tom, the things she knew from reading books at Hogwarts and as the hours had passed she couldn't help but wonder if she was on the right side, it seemed her ideals were more aligned with those there in the house with her, than with those she had considered herself solely a part of not a week before, sure some things were different but in the grand scheme of things…It was all quite confusing to the poor brown-haired witch, and left her deciding to really stop and look at things from all sides in the future, to be honest with herself and not chose a side in this war simply because one person said one side was right and the other side was wrong.

Thursday had dawned bright and early; at least for the men in the house, the women hadn't stumbled out of bed until closer to nine in Ginny and Kat's case, noon in Hermione's. But after brunch shared by the three, though Ginny and Kat had eaten far less than Hermione having already eaten something light when they first woke and Kat at least decided to tempt an all too intimate meeting with her bathroom. After they had eaten, they'd returned to their work, a pale green the central colour for the theme for Ginny's babies, a boy and a girl; while Kat's theme was blues for the little boy she was expecting, though truth was they weren't going to start actually arranging her nursery for a few months, just until she was out of the danger zone as it were.

They had actually found themselves at the point where the plotting and planning was done, and had stood to go into the nursery and start fixing it up, magic was such a wonderful thing after all, when they heard Lacey begin to yell in the hallways, specifically along the lines of 'Don't you dare go in there and bother my Mistress, Miss Ginny, and Miss Hermione!', when the door to the hallways swung open hard enough to smack against the wall, revealing an irate house elf, another house elf trying to curl in on himself as the first one hit him with a rolling pin, and the only human in the mix.

"Harry!" Hermione and Ginny echoed each other as Lacey stopped hitting the other elf, Dobby, long enough to look at them.

"You know him Miss Ginny? Miss Hermione?"

"It's alright Lacey," Kat nodded, "And you can stop beating up Dobby, I'm sure he only brought Harry here on his request."

Lacey snorted and turned to glare at the second elf, "You don't belong here anymore, you abandoned the family and the oath sworn by your ancestors to serve our family," she sniffed.

"Harry Potter rescued Dobby, treats Dobby like a friend!" he argued.

"They never treated us as anything else! We are not servants; here by choice of our ancestors before us, we all feared we'd be sent away when you betrayed our family. Horrid, horrid elf. Evil!" she hissed at him while shaking her head.

"Um… you can go back to Hogwarts, Dobby," Harry said after a moment as he stared at the two.

"No, Harry Potter needs Dobby," he stomped his foot against the ground causing Lacey to roll her eyes and smack him over his head with the rolling pin.

"Harry Potter in no danger here, unlike you. Rest of elves hear you're here, I will be least of your danger."

"Harry will be quite safe Dobby, you have my word on my wand," Kat spoke up, rolling her eyes as Ginny and Hermione just stared at Harry in shock.

Dobby looked between all of them there before turning to Harry, "Dobby will be here if you need him Harry Potter," he nodded before disappearing with the familiar 'snap' of his fingers.

"Well then, to what do we owe this unexpected visit Mr. Potter?" Kat asked conversationally as she moved to sit back down, only to stop when Harry suddenly had his wand pointed at her. "Is that _really_ necessary?"

"Ginny, Hermione, come on we need to go," he spoke softly as he kept his eyes on her. "You're in danger, she's married to Voldemort."

"Your point being?" asked Ginny, her hands on her hips. "And lower your wand Harry," she ordered.

"But..." Harry turned his eyes to her in shock. "But, aren't you in danger? I mean it's Voldemort..."

"I wouldn't harm my wife's friends," Tom spoke quietly from behind Harry, reaching around to take his wand out of his hand before Harry swung around only to take a step back in shock. "Your wand, Mr. Potter," he held his hand out with the wand lying on his flat palm. "Remarkable core, that one, simply amazing, though I suspect you already know that."

"We're in more danger at Hogwarts than we are here at Malfoy Manor, Harry," Ginny said.

"But..."

"No offence Mr. Potter, but are you attempting to compete with a broken record as the Muggles would say?" Kat asked curiously. He looked back and forth between her and Tom, and she rolled her eyes while simultaneously sighing. "Shall we move this to a more comfortable location? Say the living room, where those of us not restricted for whatever reason can partake of a stiff drink, and the rest can partake of chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate?"

"Please," Ginny sighed, Hermione nodding her agreement.

"If you would be so kind, Mr. Potter," Tom stepped back into the hallway, still holding Harry's wand out. Harry looked between him and the others one more time before grabbing his wand and moving out into the hallway, watching Tom warily as Kat, Ginny, then Hermione exited the room, Kat waiting for Tom to join her before moving down the hall as Harry planted himself between Hermione and Ginny, clearly confused.

Turning into the first living room they came too, Kat sent a mental prayer that her father wouldn't come home before they got through to Harry in some manner, before taking a seat on one of the couches, Tom to her left while Ginny curled up by herself, and Hermione dragged Harry to another couch.

"You're not Voldemort," Harry announced decisively.

"He actually goes by Tom around us, or Thomas when he gets on my bad side."

He looked between Kat and Tom before shaking his head, "But you're not Tom Riddle either, I've seen Tom Riddle..."

"You saw me when I was seventeen Mr. Potter, and again after I was in essence brought back from a state stuck between life and death. This is the appearance I had close to twenty-five years ago."

"You know, I should find that strange that you look like you did before I was born," Kat glanced over at Tom before shrugging.

"But... that's not possible..." Harry shook his head.

"Perhaps it would be best if we stayed quiet and one of you two explained," Kat glanced between Hermione and Ginny, "For Harry's peace of mind..."

"What does he want to know?" asked Ginny.

Harry tore his gaze from what was apparently Voldemort and his wife, to look between his girlfriend and his ex-girlfriend who he considered a good friend, "That's really Voldemort? And he's married to your pen pal from the last who knows how many years? And you're both not in danger?" he asked in a lost tone.

"Yes, that's really Voldemort, yes he's married to my pen pal and best friend and no we're not in danger," Ginny said. "I've known Kat was going to marry Tom since Christmas, Harry. Would I really have stayed here over Christmas, gone to my best friend's wedding or come here for Easter _with_ Hermione, if it wasn't safe?"

"But, but, but..." he looked at everyone quickly before focusing on Ginny and Hermione, "Are we in an alternate reality?" he asked rather seriously, causing Kat to snort and bury her head in Tom's shoulder.

"Could you ask if you are in an alternate reality if you are in an alternate reality?" Tom mused. "Isn't that a bit like wondering which came first, the phoenix or the flame..."

"Harry, you live in a world created by Dumbledore whereas Hermione and I have been exposed to a world where the truth is much different than what Dumbledore tells.

Harry opened his mouth before closing it, opening it again then closing it once more, finally he took a deep breath, "Did you just say Dumbledore's been lying about Voldemort?"

"If everything he's ever told us about Voldemort were true do you really think any of us would be simply sitting here in the same room as the very man himself?" questioned Ginny.

"True," he nodded slowly. "Okay," he nodded a bit more, obviously having some sort of conversation with himself, before looking up at Tom. "I'm not saying I trust you, and I'm not saying I don't trust Dumbledore. But I'd be willing to listen to your side of things..."

Tom tilted his head slightly before sitting up and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, fingers tapping against each other as he regarded Harry, "I see he's already done something for the 'greater good' as he sees it, breaking your trust in the process."

Harry didn't reply, instead simply raising his chin slightly as he stared back at Tom, defying his statement almost. Tom in turn stared at him a moment longer before sitting back and relaxing into the cushions.

"Refreshments are in order I believe," Kat spoke softly, "Lacey?" she called before the elf appeared.

"Yes, Miss Kitty?"

"Can you get something to drink for the five of us, and chocolate too for Ginny, Mione, and myself, please?"

"Of course Miss Kitty," Lacey nodded before turning to Ginny, "What would you like to drink Miss Ginny?"

"A glass of ice water please Lacey," Ginny said.

"Certainly Miss Ginny, and for you Miss Hermione?"

"Fruit juice please," Hermione smiled at the elf.

"I'll have the same, Lacey," Kat echoed quietly.

"My usual please, Lacey," Tom glanced at her and she nodded before focusing on Harry, "And for you Mister Harry Potter?"

"Um, water please," Harry managed to ask before the elf nodded and disappeared. "So..." he began after a moment.

"You already know about everything involving the Chamber of Secrets," Tom began after a moment.

"You let the basilisk loose so it could kill Muggle-borns, and it killed Moaning Myrtle, then you framed Hagrid," he agreed.

"Yes, a mistake I have regretted for a great many years," Tom nodded more to himself before glasses appeared in front of each of them, a box of chocolates in front of each of the three women. "Now that we have sufficient refreshments," he chuckled lightly as Kat attacked the ribbons on her box next to him before he waved his wand and the ribbons came undone, then focused back on Harry. "I grew up in an orphanage, never knowing my parents. When I received my letter, I came to the assumption that my father had been a wizard and my mother a Muggle, that she was unworthy of him. I had a lot of anger towards the world, my mother who had died the day I was born, keeping me from my true heritage..." he paused, shaking his head before continuing. "Hogwarts was the first place I ever felt like I belonged, the first home I ever truly had. I continued to believe my father was out there, a great man who would welcome me with open arms when he learned I existed, until during my second year when I managed to trace my mother and realized she was the witch, that my father was a foolish Muggle who abandoned his magical wife. I also learned that my ancestor was Salazar Slytherin, learned of the Chamber he supposedly created to complete his belief that pureblood wizards deserved more. I became obsessed, wanting revenge upon my stupid Muggle father, and to bring honour to my ancestor by seeing his vision made reality."

"It took me three more years of revelling in the happiness I had at Hogwarts, and the anger from being sent back to the Orphanage every summer that I hated more than anything, except perhaps my father. Three years, until I had finally discovered the secrets of the Chamber Slytherin had created. And that June of my fifth year I opened it, releasing the basilisk, resulting in Myrtle's death. It was nothing like I expected it to be, so I sealed it again, and out of fear I left Hagrid to take the blame. Though at the time, I was still a very selfish, foolish, and angry young man. The school remained open, Hagrid was expelled though Dumbledore kept him there as Gamekeeper, and I returned to school in the fall. I created the diary then, placing a small part of my soul within it, a place to keep the secrets of the Chamber. I completed my sixth and seventh years, and after leaving Hogwarts travelled to Little Haggleton to finally meet my father, his parents as well were there. They rejected me, and I lashed out in anger, killing all of them. And then I disappeared so to speak. I travelled throughout Europe, looking for something, anything. Those I had killed haunted me, and as I travelled I saw what it was like for others within our world, those classified as magical beasts instead of beings, the centaurs, the goblins, giants, werewolves, vampires... I began to realize that nothing was right. Thousands of years ago Wizarding and Muggle kind lived in peace, harmony to an extent. If you read back to the time of Merlin and the great King Arthur, they respected those with magic, a respect that was their birthright, but the people lived amongst each other. It was the Muggles who turned against us over the centuries, burning us at the stake, driving us into hiding. Why must we hide? I didn't think that was right, we had just as much a right to the world as the next person, a right to live as we wanted to without fear of exposing ourselves to Muggles and all such nonsense. And I saw that we, witches and wizards, treated these other magical beings the same way the Muggles treated us, we had no right to do that as well," he paused to sip at his drink. "And so I came to a realization. We _shouldn't_ have to live as we were; the magical beings that were being treated as nothing more than creatures shouldn't be treated as such. I realized that my pain, my anger wasn't enough. There were others more important than me and so I set to gathering others who shared my belief, and in 1970 I returned to England, seeking the DADA position at Hogwarts while also working out a strategy to make the world a better place for all magical kind. Dumbledore rejected my application, and I'll be honest I was quite upset over it, but I took it in stride and left, turning my attention instead to the plans we were making. I tried to go to the Minister of Magic with my ideas and was informed I was out of my mind, it would never happen, and so I once more took the name Lord Voldemort, and the Death Eaters as they were named, not by me but by Dumbledore, and I set to work to take control of the Ministry, so that we might be able to make the changes that we wanted. To rejoin our world with that of the Muggles, to no longer have to live in hiding, for everyone to be free and equal."

"You didn't though," Harry pointed out after a moment of silence.

"No," he nodded. "Dumbledore was determined to not let me succeed, why I simply do not understand. He formed the Order of the Phoenix to fight me and mine, in truth, I believe that that has caused more deaths than would have been had there not been resistance. The seventies passed, one more fight after another; Lucius became my second in command, my closest confidant along with Severus. I had met Lucius the day I went to apply for the position at Hogwarts, and through him met Severus. We continued to fight for our cause, gaining more followers, some faithful, some not. Peter Pettigrew joined us in seventy-nine, though to be honest I don't know to this day if he was a spy for us, or a spy for Dumbledore, though I suspect the latter."

"Why do you say that?" Harry asked curiously.

"Perhaps I can answer that one," Kat placed a hand on Tom's arm before focusing on Harry. "Your Godfather had a brother named Regulus..."

"I know, he was killed by you," he looked at Tom, "Or at least that's the story Sirius told me."

"That's the story I knew as well. My Mother had no brothers, and my Father is an only child, so at a young age I fell completely in love with Regulus and Bellatrix, my favourite Uncle and Aunt as I called them. When Regulus died, everyone believed it had been Voldemort that killed him, that was what the papers said, and for that, I hated Voldemort, I was eight years old, but I knew that if I could I would hurt him like he hurt me if I ever saw him."

"But you're married to him..." Harry frowned.

"Well, my betrothal was arranged between Tom and Daddy," she smiled slightly, "But as you can tell, I certainly haven't attempted to kill him since marrying him."

"Even though he killed your favourite Uncle and you had been planning to hurt him since you were eight..." Harry blinked, "I think I'm missing something."

"You're missing a conversation I had with Tom shortly after my Mother attempted to kill me at Halloween," Kat smiled, "I was singing that day, a song that made me think of my Mother..."

"She has a lovely voice," Tom smiled softly.

"That's what you said then," Kat rolled her eyes before beginning her tale.

_**:-:-: Flashback :-:-:**_

"_Sparkling angel, I couldn't see your dark intentions, your feelings for me.  
Fallen angel, tell me why. What is the reason, the thorn in your eye?  
I see the angels; I'll lead them to your door. There's no escape now no mercy no more.  
No remorse cause I still remember the smile when you tore me apart_

"_You took my heart, deceived me right from the start.  
You showed me dreams; I wished they would turn into real.  
You broke the promise and made me realize.  
It was all just a lie._"

"You have a lovely voice."

Kat's head shot up when she heard him, found him standing in the doorway of her room, "Daddy says that, but I think he's biased," she offered as she waved a hand and shut off the music.

"Well unless you consider me biased, I would say he's not," he countered as he moved into the room and took the chair next to her bed. "How are you feeling Katia?"

She shrugged while gathering her parchment and quill to set them aside; she'd finish her letter later. "Fine," she offered before looking up to see the look he was giving her, one that said he completely doubted her and she had to be fairly silly for even attempting to lie to him, especially about something like this. "How am I _supposed_ to be feeling? I've always known Mother hated me. The fact she tried to kill me is shocking but… at the same time not as much as it would have been had there _never_ been any indication that she didn't want me."

"You're a very interesting woman Katia, most would be quite angry, _reasonably so_, about now if someone tried to kill them."

"Well _most_ wouldn't be marrying a man almost _fifty years _their senior either," she shot back before pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around her blanket covered knees.

"Why are you so opposed to our marriage?" Tom asked softly.

"_Besides_ the fact I've hated you since I was eight," she glanced at him before rolling her eyes.

"Whatever did I do to deserve your hatred at such a young age?"

"Oh come on," she rolled her eyes only to slant them towards him. "You're being an idiot."

"And I see I've finally earned the infamous look your Father_ always _talks about…" he chuckled before leaning back in the chair to stare at her. "I'm afraid though I _honestly_ have no idea what it was that earned your anger."

"Regulus Black," Kat answered with another roll of her eyes. "_You_ killed him, therefore _I_ hate you."

"Narcissa's cousin?" he frowned.

"He wasn't just her cousin!" she yelled as she turned towards him angrily, "He was like an uncle, my _favourite_ uncle! And you killed him for no good reason!" she continued, sounding very much like an irate child, much to her annoyance.

Tom's eyebrows shot up at her outburst before lowering as he shook his head, "My dear, I'm afraid you have it wrong."

"Oh really, _how_ pray tell is that?"

"_I_ didn't kill Regulus," he began gently. "I _will_ admit he died because he was part of this war I lead, but it wasn't _my_ hand that killed him."

"Then _who_ was it?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

"Excuse me?" Kat simply stared at him before shaking her head, "Oh, that's just _insane_, what _reason_ would Dumbledore have for killing Uncle Regulus…"

"Regulus refused to give him the information he wanted about us. He resorted to torturing it out of him, Regulus never broke though and instead it killed him."

"And _Dumbledore_ had the insight to blame_ you_ for it? That's just insane…"

"_Actually_ I've found the man is _quite_ sane, he's just_ very _determined and misguided. Course I _suppose_ the same could be said for me, except _I_ am determined to see Wizarding Kind once more given the respect they deserve and to stop being treated like second-class citizens to Muggles, and for Centaurs, Goblins, Merpeople, and Giants to have the same respect and treatment."

Kat just stared at him as he talked, before shaking her head slightly, "Wait a minute you're _honestly_ saying Dumbledore killed Regulus Black?"

"Yes, I am. If you would like, you could ask your Godfather, Severus was there at the end, unable to do anything to save Regulus by then because of Dumbledore's belief that Severus was on his side, and the fact that quite honestly Regulus was too far gone by the time he showed up. Memory serves me; your Aunt Bella's attack on the Longbottoms was in retaliation for what Dumbledore did to Regulus, for the one mind Dumbledore destroyed, _she_ destroyed two."

She blinked as her mind went back to what she had learned when she was old enough to really research what it was that put her favourite aunt in Azkaban. "He used the _Cruciatus Curse _on him, to get information about you?" she asked slowly, before raising her eyes to his. "And people think _he's _the good guy?" she gave a sort of snort.

"We have different views," he offered with a shrug of his own. "I think he remembers the things I did as a teenager, but doesn't realize that after Myrtle died, after I killed my Muggle father and grandparents, I began to realize it wasn't just _me_ who was in pain."

"I know," she nodded slowly, "Well, okay so I_ don't_ know all of _your _story, but I know why all of this is happening. Daddy explained things to Draco and I over the years, and besides, _I_ was old enough to see everything happen before you… died for lack of a better term I suppose. I've _always_ thought it was a good goal, for us to be able to live everywhere on the planet without fear, for the Goblins, Centaurs, Merpeople, Giants and others to be able to govern themselves, to be able to live not as servants or second-class to us. Like it was long ago, before Hogwarts was even founded, when everyone lived in peace… Doesn't mean I can _honestly_ see it happening, not with wizards and witches, who rise and fight against it, consider you, Daddy, Severus, Aunt Bella and the others to be the bad guys, to be _evil_. But it _is_ a good dream to have."

"I don't want it to _simply_ be a dream though," he countered. "I've lost good people, _friends_, for this. They died fighting for the dream as you call it. I lost my own body for a time, lost a part of my soul during those years… I _can't_ let it all be for nothing."

"You _think_ there's a way that one day Dumbledore would stop fighting? Cause I _certainly _don't see it… though I would _love _a few minutes alone in a room with him when he's wandless," she muttered darkly.

"_Don't_," he reached out and brushed her hair back from her face, "Don't, you're too_ good _to have things done in anger mark your soul."

"So, it's perfectly fine for _you_ to kill the Potters, that Diggory boy _and_ my Mother, but _I_ can't seek revenge on the man who killed my Uncle? Isn't that rather hypocritical?"

"I never planned to _kill_ the Potters, and while I will be the first to admit it was my wand that cast the spells, I _won't_ take all the blame, Dumbledore is to blame as well. The Diggory boy was a mistake, he was there and I let my anger control me, same as I nearly did against young Harry, even if it wasn't my hand or wand that cast the spell that took his life. As for Narcissa… I wasn't the _only_ one there in her last days. _Nor _will I apologize for _anything_ that happened to her, just as I know the others involved won't."

"Hmm," she hummed before shifting and moving to sit cross-legged as she turned to look at him. "Tell me."

"No." Tom countered evenly.

"Please, I_ need_ to know," she argued, "Both Draco and I do, and I know someone will tell him _long_ before they would dream of telling me. I'm asking you as your future wife… _please_ tell me."

He stared at her, lips pressed together before shaking his head, "It wasn't just me, your father was there, Severus, Bellatrix, and Rodolphus. The poison she drank when Lucius made her drink from the glass you had dropped didn't kill her, merely gave her pain. But she never stayed quiet, she explained about the potion she used to induce her labour before Christmas. Bella went after her when she heard that, Luc was too in shock at the time. It wasn't quick; we took turns, for hours. Luc and Severus were gone for most of it, here with you, but they did participate, punishing her for everything she ever put you through."

"Who cast the killing curse?" Kat asked after a moment.

"Seems to me Katia, that's something you shouldn't know, for _your_ peace of mind."

"No matter how you look at it Thomas," she countered evenly, "Either my father, my godfather, my aunt, my uncle, or my soon to be husband killed my mother in retaliation for her attempts to kill me on two different occasions. _**I**_ don't see how knowing for sure that it was my father or my godfather, my aunt, uncle, or soon to be husband _really_ makes that much of a difference."

"Stubborn as Lucius," he rolled his eyes.

"At least you'll never be bored, though I would have hoped you would have known that _before_ asking my father for my hand in marriage."

"Trust me," he smirked and she couldn't help the thrill that shot up her spine, by the Gods he was good looking after the youth regaining spell, "I knew exactly what I was getting into when I asked Luc."

"Did you know what you were doing when you talked to him about seducing my best friend?" she countered then.

"I didn't know she was your best friend," he pointed out, "But yes, I did. You know exactly who her family is, even if she herself does not."

"And that relates to you wanting my father to seduce her how?"

"There's a prophecy, the seventh shall bring them home. I assumed that the Weasleys figured it would be a seventh male, not a female. Their downfall…"

"I see, so you're sentencing my father to another loveless relationship, and sentencing my best friend to at least having her heart broken when she realizes he doesn't care about her and merely did this because you ordered him to."

"Perhaps," he agreed with a nod, "On the other hand, perhaps they will find with each other what Lucius never had with Narcissa."

"Daddy doesn't know how to love someone if they aren't his best friend or his children," she countered quietly. "You think Draco and I wouldn't love to see him fall in love, find the happiness that Draco has found with Blaise, that which our great-grandparents had… But we gave up on the idea of it happening ages ago, he was too honourable to take a mistress while married to Mother, and now he's been resigned to a relationship with Ginny, you think he's going into that thinking he might find love with her?"

"The way I see it Ekaterina, if there is a chance that we could find love, then why can't Lucius and Ginevra?" Tom countered before rising, "I should leave you to get some rest, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You never answered my question," she pointed out quickly.

"Perhaps next time," he replied with a smile before bending to drop a kiss to the top of her head then leaving quickly.

"Annoying bastard," Kat muttered as she stared at the closed door.

_**:-:-: End Flashback :-:-:**_

"Dumbledore killed Regulus?" Harry stared at them in shock. "_That's_ why Bellatrix went after Neville's parents?"

"Honestly I think it was a matter of the Longbottoms were unfortunately the first Order members she came upon in her grief. The Black family was always close, save for Sirius who turned his back on the family, and they banded together even more after that, his generation did that is. Then Andromeda left the family, joining Dumbledore, and it was the three of them, Regulus, Bellatrix, and Narcissa. Bella was closer to Andromeda than Narcissa, so she and Regulus formed a close bond, their grief over losing their closest sibling to Dumbledore's side," Tom explained quietly, rubbing Kat's hand that rested on her thigh.

"It's just so hard to believe that he would do something like that," Harry shook his head, "How did he even get Regulus?"

"Peter Pettigrew," Kat answered quietly, "A sign of his loyalty to Dumbledore."

"Though we didn't know that until recently," Tom nodded. "He serves his usefulness for the time being, though I know Bellatrix is looking forward to the day he doesn't, her time in Azkaban left her more like the woman she was the day she went after the Longbottoms."

"Harry, is it really that hard to believe that Dumbledore would do something like what Kat and Tom are saying? If Dumbledore was as great and as good as he wants you to believe, would he really have left you with your abusive aunt and uncle as a baby? Or made you go back there year after year?" asked Ginny quietly.

"No," he admitted before sighing, "Why did you go after my parents and me then?"

The prophecy young Miss Trelawney made. Though I never had any intention of killing you or your parents; my plan was simply to, at the least, take you from your parents and to have Lucius and Narcissa raise you with Draco, but I was hoping instead I could convince your parents to come as well."

"They wouldn't have," Harry argued.

"They might have, do you think it was an accident that it was you I went after instead of young Mr. Longbottom?" Tom countered evenly. "The first time I heard the prophecy, I also received the news that Dumbledore believed it was you, no mention of Mr. Longbottom. Not until much later did I even learn that he was a possibility, being born the day before you. Dumbledore set you and your parents up Harry, I have my theories as to why, and we know what he has told Severus of his plans, why he pushes you so."

"What?" Harry stared at him in shock once more, "How do you even know you heard the prophecy as you did on purpose? But... I mean..." he trailed off as he grew more agitated before raising his eyes to Tom's once more. "Why?"

"It was Pettigrew that overheard the Prophecy, Pettigrew that overheard that it was you who was supposed to one day kill me. I have no doubts in my mind that it was on purpose that he was the one to overhear; Dumbledore knew he would come to me, seeking to get on our good side after everything with Regulus. I believe Dumbledore needed someone for the people to want to follow, he wouldn't live forever and he is determined to see me fail.

"That night, I went to Godric's Hollow with Lucius by my side and only a select few others, Peter there as well. Severus did not attend; he was to wait to an appointed time to alert Dumbledore to the attack. James rushed to get between us and Lily, but before I could explain anything he saw Peter, and Peter attempted to cast a Cruciatus Curse on him. Lucius countered the spell, and I had reached my breaking point with Pettigrew, intending to kill him. Unfortunately, the rat realized what was coming and grabbed James' arm as I started to say the spell, putting James between him and me, I never had a chance to stop it."

"You're saying you killed my Dad because Pettigrew hid behind him at the last minute?" Harry stared at him sceptically.

"I am," Tom nodded, "By the time any of us had processed what had happened, he was upstairs with your mother, and was trying to get you from her. I asked her to hand you over, planning to explain everything once we got the both of you away from the house; she refused, staring straight at Pettigrew. He snapped, I suppose one might say, and was about to cast the Cruciatus Curse once more, this time Lucius pushed his arm so the spell hit another of our party. Again, I attempted to rid us all of the worthless man, but taking his cue from Lucius, this time Pettigrew pushed my arm away while ducking at the same time, and unfortunately the spell hit your mother. It should have killed you both, but instead as we all know, it rebounded back to me, leaving you with your infamous scar, and killing my body. In the panic that followed, Pettigrew escaped, my people, believing you were dead seeing as none had ever survived the Killing Curse, left you there in your mother's arms and took my body, escaping into the night. Lucius was never able to tell Severus what happened before the appointed time when he was to warn Dumbledore, though I suspect that was a good thing, since Dumbledore arrived to rescue you," he finished with a small nod.

Harry stared at him a moment before looking away, "How did you survive?"

"The Diary I made still existed, my soul bound to it so while my body was dead, I could not cross over and unlike a ghost which was completely deceased, I was trapped between the world of the living and the dead, becoming nothing more than a wraith."

"But the Diary was destroyed in ninety-three..."

"But my soul wasn't in the Diary anymore."

"Then where was it?" Harry frowned.

"In me," Ginny said, drawing Harry's attention towards her.

"In you?" he frowned, "How..."

"By writing in the diary of course," Ginny said. "The more I wrote, the stronger Tom's hold over me became, eventually being able to take control of my body thanks to the part of his soul that was in the diary. In a way it merged with mine. When I was in the chamber and the memory of Tom was draining my magic, the part of his soul that was a part of me returned to him momentarily until you destroyed the diary. When you destroyed the diary, my magic returned to me, as did the part of Tom's soul that had been trapped within the diary. That piece remained with me until a few nights ago when Tom and I talked about our past history and what I see for my future. We performed a simple spell that returned the piece of soul I carried to Tom, completely freeing my own for the future now laid out before me."

Harry blinked a few times before nodding, "You don't have to answer Gin, but what is the future laid out before you now?" he asked curiously.

"My loyalties have changed, Harry," Ginny sighed. "My time here at Malfoy Manor has made me realize that I don't want to be a pawn in Dumbledore's war. I want to return my family to their rightful place by claiming my true inheritance and doing it with the man I love."

"True inheritance?" Harry looked over at Hermione then back at Ginny, "I think I missed something..."

Ginny shared a look with Kat and Tom before turning back to face Harry and Hermione. "Everyone thinks of the Weasleys as Dumbledore's greatest allies, noble Gryffindors all of them. But that's not the case Harry. The Weasley family was Slytherin up until my father was sorted. His father, my grandfather, married into the Black family, maintaining their ties to all the other pureblood families and the old ways. A few months later they turned from the old ways and embraced the beliefs of the 'light' as Dumbledore calls it. While you pleaded with the sorting hat to place you anywhere but Slytherin, I pleaded with it to put me _**in**_ Slytherin. Even the twins wanted to be Slytherin. There was a prophecy made about the Weasley family, Harry. Essentially it says that the seventh child would return the family to the old ways. My parents foolishly believed, helped along by Dumbledore most likely, that it referred to a seventh son, a son they never had."

"I was wondering how it was that the Weasley family hadn't ended up with a prefect or a Head Boy through the years before this century," Hermione chuckled humourlessly. "I guess I was looking in the wrong house."

"Ron is going to have a meltdown," Harry surmised before chuckling, "Oh God, how many of us have been screwed over by Dumbledore? You, me, Neville, Sirius, my parents, Remus even since heaven knows he wouldn't be like he is today if my parents hadn't died and Sirius hadn't been accused of killing them and those Muggles..."

"I know Harry," Hermione whispered as she grasped his hands in her own.

"What about you Mione?" he asked softly, focusing on her.

She shrugged and let out a small sigh, "All these years, I've stood by you, stood by Dumbledore and Ron and the Order, because that's what I thought was the right side. But we both know, I was the odd one in a way, I fought for House Elves, I was there arguing with Ron about the rights of centaurs, vampires, werewolves, goblins, and giants, how the Ministry was wrong in how they were treated. Only once did I ever let the way werewolves were viewed become my response, Remus could probably tell you how many times I've apologized for that..." she trailed off with another sigh. "But I thought _**Voldemort**_," the name rolled off her tongue almost mockingly, "was the bad guy, out there killing Muggles and Muggle-borns and others. And he went after you and I couldn't stand him for that. But now... I just don't know anymore. I mean I'm still angry he went after you so much, but so many of the things he wants, are the things I want to see done, for everyone to have equal rights. And I'm not naive enough to think that it will happen without a war of some kind."

"It's okay," he whispered as he reached up to brush her hair behind her ear, before looking over at Tom once more, "I'm confused about something. Why Muggle-borns?"

Tom glanced over at Kat before focusing on him, "Not all Muggle-born witches and wizards deserve it I think. They grow up with the prejudice of Muggles towards magic, towards us. I don't hate all Muggle-born witches and wizards like Dumbledore would have you believe, just the ones who consider themselves better than us, who hate us for no reason, who really don't deserve the gift they've been given. In truth I believe those that do deserve it, usually shouldn't remain with their Muggle families, unless those families can prove they won't turn on them as so many have. But that doesn't happen; and often those that are Muggle-born and remain with their family who do turn on them... I've seen it cause more damage than anything magic can do, make a person who once loved our world, our ways, learn only to hate everything we are, and that can only destroy them and us. It's a horrible cycle. But it all comes down to the fact, my ancestor despised Muggle-borns simply because they weren't purebloods, I despise the Muggle-borns that don't deserve magic, and still have it, especially when there are others of our kind who should have been given the gift of magic and weren't, and they become outcasts among our society like Muggle-borns become outcasts among Muggle society."

"You've experienced the type of hatred Tom speaks of Harry living with your aunt and uncle," Ginny pointed out.

Harry let out a deep breath before nodding.

"Perhaps," Kat began softly, "The three of us can return to our work and let the two of them talk some. I'm sure there are things that need to be discussed, that we don't necessarily need to be present for. Hermione and I can take your wands if you would be willing, to ensure nothing could happen," she glanced between Harry and Tom before looking at Hermione and Ginny, taking the wand Tom silently handed to her.

"I agree," Ginny said standing up. "Best they get everything out in the open before your father comes home," she observed.

"Daddy will be fine, I'm sure," Kat shrugged as she rose.

"Harry?" Hermione asked softly, "What do you want to do?"

His gaze remained on Tom a few moments before he turned to her, "If you and Gin trust him, so can I for now," he answered as he offered her his wand.

"Okay," she nodded and smiled before kissing his cheek, "We'll be down the hall," she continued as she stood, his wand slipping into her pocket with her own.

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Sunday April 19th, 1998  
Wiltshire, England  
The Malfoy Manor  
The North Wing – The Parlour  
10:45 a.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

By the time Lucius had arrived home from work on Thursday, Harry and Tom had a rather lengthy chat before seeking their respective partners to reclaim their wands, having come to an understanding. Dinner that night was a lively affair really, as Lucius, Severus, Draco and Blaise were filled in on the day's activities, and more than once Hermione had to reach over and close Harry's mouth at the actions of those he had learned weren't as bad as he had always thought or known, witnessing it though was something entirely different…

Friday and Saturday had passed quickly, some of the time spent was discussing what was to come, while most of the time was spent just relaxing and inducting Harry to the reality of things at Malfoy Manor now that he was sharing the rooms that had been Hermione and Ginny's with his girlfriend, while Ginny had moved in completely with Lucius. He even became the third to Draco and Blaise in serving the three girls as they finished the nursery Friday…

"So, the story is that Hermione went to visit her family and you found her there, since thankfully you never said anything about your suspicions before coming here," Kat smiled at Harry as they all stood gathered in the parlour the morning Hermione, Harry, Draco and Blaise were going to return to Hogwarts.

"And when anyone asks why, I'll say I don't want to talk about it, and the Daily Prophet is going to have the article tomorrow about you reclaiming the Weasley fortune," Hermione glanced at Ginny. "It's going to be so strange having you not at school," she sniffed before throwing her arms around the red-haired woman.

"It's going to be strange for me as well," Ginny said returning her hug. I'm so used to having all the students around; the quiet of the Manor is going to take some getting used to."

"It won't be that quiet," Draco grinned, "You got Kitty for company, and that bloody bird..." he continued before jumping three feet. "Kitty! Your bird bit me!" he turned to glare at the macaw as she stretched her wings and flew across the room to land on the couch next to Kat.

"You deserved it," Kat shot back, rolling her eyes.

"I fear for your sanity when your children are growing up Gin, honestly I do," Harry smiled, "With the genes that gave the world Fred and George, and the genes that gave the world those two... they're going to either be fighting all the time, or blowing things up together, or trying to blow each other up..."

"In which case they get to spend time with one set of Godparents or the other, depending on who's available at the time," Ginny smirked.

"Thomas, we will be doing a lot of travelling after this war is over," Kat looked over at Tom seriously.

"Of course love," he smiled, "Sorry Harry, Hermione, looks like you're getting them."

"Oh no, you can't use travelling as an excuse!" Harry laughed.

"Why are we not getting involved in this?" Draco looked at Blaise.

"We're not Godparents lover."

"Why not?"

"You're they're brother, you don't qualify."

"But Kat's their sister!"

"And Tom is their father's best friend so would logically be their Godfather since his only other best friend is your Godfather and Kitty's."

"I have a new theory," Kat announced, "We'll not travel so much, we'll send our kids off to drive Draco off his rocker and spoil our Godchildren instead."

"Of course love," Tom agreed once more.

"He's agreeing with me simply for the sake of agreeing with me, isn't he?" Kat looked over at Ginny with a sigh.

"Can you blame him? You're bloody scary when you get pissed Kitty!" Draco blurted before ducking behind Blaise. "Don't kill me; I'm your favourite brother."

"Until I can actually meet my other brother in person, I suppose you can still claim that..."

"Give it up Draco, you're never going to win the argument," Ginny said shaking her head before turning back to Kat. "And yes, he's agreeing simply for the sake of agreeing with you."

"You're evil," Kat turned on her husband.

"Yes, that's the general consensus at the moment Katia," he chuckled, "But I do believe we were saying goodbye so Harry and Hermione can make the train at King's Cross by eleven?"

"We should get going," Hermione sighed before giving Ginny another quick hug. "We have the journals, and we'll write whenever we can."

"You may have just found the means of keeping Hermione from studying every free moment she has," Harry chuckled as he moved to hug Ginny while Hermione went to hug Kat.

"Ah yes, the first sign of the great apocalypse," Severus chuckled.

"And you get to witness it first hand Severus," Ginny laughed.

"May the Gods have mercy on my soul," he drawled before turning his gaze to his two best friends, "Laugh and I'll turn your hair a mixture of Gryffindor red and Ravenclaw blue."

"You wouldn't..."

"Laugh," Severus smirked as the two exchanged a look before much to the amusement of the others, they stepped behind Ginny and Kat respectively.

"Hey! My hair's already Gryffindor Red," Ginny laughed as she stepped away from Lucius giving Severus a clear shot.

"I say make Daddy's red, they'd match."

"And make mine blue?" Tom stared at her in horror.

"I could do Hufflepuff yellow, then the four of you would match," Severus mused.

"On the other hand, if you make one have blue hair and one have green, you'd represent all four houses," Hermione pointed out.

"I claim Slytherin!" Lucius and Tom chorused as Ginny, Hermione, and Kat giggled when the two turned to glare at each other.

Kat slid over next to Ginny, "Want to have some fun?" she whispered.

"Sure," Ginny giggled in return.

"Blue or green?" she asked as the two eldest Slytherins in the room argued as to who had a higher claim to Slytherin.

"Green."

"You do Tom, I'll do Daddy's, that way we can honestly say we didn't do it to our husbands," she glanced at her best friend, "On three?"

"One…two…"

"Three," Kat grinned as she cast the spell that turned her father's blonde locks a lovely shade of blue just as Ginny turned Tom's dark locks green.

"... I mean I am Slytherin's heir..." Tom took a step back as he pointed at Lucius' head. "Your hair..."

"It's Green!"

"Blue!"

"Blue?"

"Green?" Tom echoed Lucius before they turned to stare at Severus who held his hands up in an innocent gesture as Draco and Blaise began to back away from the group. The two looked back at each other before looking at their wives who were inching towards the door.

"Run!" Kat yelled. "Bye!" she called over her shoulder as she turned on her heels and headed for the door.

"Bye!" Ginny called as she took off after Kat.

"Bye!" the four returning to Hogwarts called after them as Lucius and Tom raced out of the room after them before they apparated to King's Cross Station as they laughed. Severus shook his head before apparating to Hogsmeade so he could return to the school as shrieks of laughter echoed throughout the house when Ginny and Kat were caught by their significant others.

22


	10. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

**Monday June 21st, 2027  
Orlando, Florida  
Walt Disney Resort and Complex  
Animal Kingdom – 'Beastly Kingdom'  
3:27 p.m.**

**:-:-:-:-:-:**

"Don't bother then winged horses!" Kat yelled before shaking her head as she looked at her two companions who were laughing at her, "Those are your grandchildren too you know."

"We know," Hermione chuckled; her arm was linked through Ginny's left as Ginny's right was linked with Kat's.

"I still say we're too young to be grandparents," Draco grumbled behind them, "Save of course for Father, Tom, and Ginny solely because our children are her grandchildren."

"Blaise…" the three women chorused before they heard the sound of a hand hitting a skull.

"You'd think he would get less annoying with time," Ginny sighed before giggling like the sixteen-year-old she had been nearly thirty years earlier when they had turned their husband's hair blue and green.

So much had changed since that day when Harry, Hermione, Draco, and Blaise had returned to Hogwarts for the rest of their seventh year. The next day the Daily Prophet had run an article on Ginny laying claim to the Weasley family fortune, which resulted in howlers from Molly and Arthur and letters wondering if what the article said was true or not, and what the heck it even meant from Bill, Charlie, and Percy. She had written the three and explained about the family history, telling them to ask around if they wanted proof, and actually thrown Ron's Howler in the fire when it came a day after the other ones, somehow it had been quite satisfying to listen to the Howler scream…

Lucius managed to surprise Ginny a few weeks later with quite possibly the most romantic proposal possible, and they were married the end of May in a quiet ceremony there at the Manor, thanks to it being a Hogsmeade weekend, and the use of a time-turner, Harry and Hermione were able to be there without anyone being the wiser. June and July passed with the school year ending and Draco and Blaise returned to the Manor, while Harry and Hermione had gone to Grimmauld Place and continued to communicate with the others through the special journals they had created, or through Fred and George since it would be quite odd if they suddenly started talking to Severus. With August came Ginny's seventeenth birthday, and two days before that, the birth of Lucas and Cassandra. Lucas had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as his father and older brother and sister, while Cassandra had her mother's hair and eyes.

Once the twins had been born, they put their plans into motion, and only a few days later they led a simultaneous 'attack' on the Ministry and on Order Headquarters, after Albus Dumbledore had called every member of the Order there for an important meeting on information Severus had managed to get in regards to Voldemort being married and his wife expecting a child. Tom and Lucius had led those that went to the Ministry, capturing the Minister and every other Department Head; it was surprisingly easy to take down the Ministry in broad daylight as it were. Draco and Blaise had been the unofficial ones in charge of the attack on the Order, Kat and Ginny attending without their husbands' knowledge. With Severus, Fred, George, Harry, and Hermione on the inside, it had been quite simple really to stun every one present.

Not two days later, they had brought the entire Wizengamot together, with the Minister there, reporters from every major Wizarding newspaper throughout the world, and every member of the Order present. There they had administered veritaserum to Dumbledore, and the man had proceeded to confess to everything he had done, torturing Regulus Black, making sure Peter Pettigrew overheard the Prophecy and that he thought it was Harry, having decided Harry would be a much better figurehead for people to flock behind in the war than Neville Longbottom would ever be. Actually being the one to mention to Sirius that he would be the most logical choice for a Secret-Keeper, and having Remus out of the country on a mission at the time so Sirius couldn't have had Remus be the Secret-Keeper, leaving it only to Peter. There were many other things revealed that day, more about Harry even, but it was those that caused the most outrage amongst the Order members, most memorable perhaps was Andromeda Tonks attempting to curse Dumbledore when she found out he had been the one who killed her cousin, and Remus actually jumping at the older man when he realized the loss of all of his friends went back to Dumbledore, the man even admitting to having recruited Peter Pettigrew to be a spy without anyone knowing, convincing him to tell Voldemort he would be a spy on the Order and leaving him basically waiting to be killed by one side or the other after Peter had delivered Regulus to him.

The Wizengamot had unanimously decided to send the man to Azkaban, though that sentence had never been actually given since Bellatrix had managed to finally get her revenge for Regulus' death so long before. The revelations hadn't ended there that day, Tom willingly taking the truth potion as well so everyone gathered could see what his true goals were, while Kat had sat off to the side with Ginny and Lucius. Everything had changed that day, many of the Order had not exactly forgiven Tom for everything that happened, but they accepted perhaps was the word. Andromeda was welcomed back to the family as was her daughter, Tonks, and even her husband. Remus had told Harry he understood what had been at first perceived as a betrayal, then quietly approached Tom, Lucius, and Severus to ask what was to become of Peter. They had explained he had already been sent to Azkaban without the Wizengamot's knowledge, and Remus had merely nodded before walking away. He had stayed out of the war from then on, but was a surrogate Grandfather to the children Harry and Hermione later had.

Everything had changed after that, Molly, Arthur, and Ron had never accepted the changes, while Bill, Charlie, and Percy had approached Ginny and asked if they could still be a part of her life, and pointed out none of them wanted a part of the family fortune, it wasn't for that, they just wanted their sister. She'd surprised them all instead, setting up means of dividing the family fortune between her siblings, to be further divided amongst their children and her own; she herself didn't technically need the money being a Malfoy. It was set up in a trust of sorts though, so they couldn't pull out extravagant amounts and such, but they were recognized and the Weasley family truly was returned to its rightful place… Only Arthur, Molly and Ron stayed away and disowned, though Ron's children would be recognized if they accepted the truth of their family.

In the months that followed, Fudge was replaced by Lucius as Minister, and they began to make changes to the way things were, in England and as time passed, throughout the world. In their personal lives, as life continued as it always does, Kat and Tom's first child, a boy named after his father was born on Halloween night, while December saw Harry and Hermione married. The year that followed saw Harry and Hermione's first child born, a boy named James, as well as Kat and Tom's second, a boy named Regulus after her favourite 'uncle'. By year's end, all of the Wizarding worlds had united, Tom as their 'face' to the rest of the Muggle world, and New Years Day of 2000, after the Muggles had their panic attack over what they called 'Y2K', they went to every major Muggle government. Explanations were made, of the Wizarding World, of what they wanted, and just as evenly they had explained they would have no problem killing if need be, but that Wizarding kind didn't want that, they simply wanted to be able to live amongst the others. It hadn't been easy, nor had it been something that happened overnight, but by the time their children had grown, their worlds were blended together. Wizarding kind answered to Wizarding Courts, while Muggles answered to Muggle courts, though both had the same laws in regards to treatment of Muggles and Wizards, punished equally, though as the Muggles were quick to point out as time passed, Wizarding World punishments were harsher, they had their prisons with Dementors.

The others once called 'Magical Creatures' rather than Beings were also given their freedom. And nearly thirty years later there was a colony of Giants living quite happily in northern Europe, as well as one living on Easter Island where they had once resided centuries ago. The Centaurs were allowed their lands to roam, were respected for their knowledge. Goblins were given their right to govern themselves, and were asked to continue to run Gringotts and the other Wizarding Banks, as well as paid for their service; many Goblins became famous for their metalwork and jewels, a Goblin made Tiara being given to the Queen of England even. The Coronation Gift given to the new King when the time came made by Goblins even. Werewolves were allowed their freedoms, to work among others, with the only stipulation being they had to take the Wolfsbane potion. The Packs that had existed continued as they always had, but those who had wanted to live among others were able to, they were able to marry and have children. The only werewolves bothered were those found roaming under the full moons that didn't have the Potion in their system, and those that went around purposely biting, like the Wolf Greyback, who had attacked Remus so many years before, were sentenced to Azkaban and the Dementor's Kiss for in essence being murderers. Even House Elves were given rights, though the majority had said they wanted to continue as they always had, serving their families, many just did it as free elves rather than 'bound servants'. Even vampires were allowed their freedoms to an extent, obviously kept from going and feeding on humans, or turning humans... but it worked somehow. After all vampires still had their own natural predators, Wizarding and Muggle kind stayed out of the hunt.

As the world around them changed for the better, their own lives progressed happily. Friends married, Draco and Blaise had their bonding ceremony on Valentine's Day of 2001, Draco's idea to irk his big sister by sharing her anniversary as Harry, Hermione, and Ginny learned. Not the smartest idea he'd had considering she was pregnant with her third and last child at the time, a girl named Bellatrix who would later be the first to make Kat and Tom grandparents. That same year, Draco and Blaise's first child was born, a boy named Andrew, they had chosen to have a surrogate mother and Andrew was every bit Draco's son. Their daughter, Selene, was born two years later, identical to Blaise in every way. Harry and Hermione had two more children besides James, Sirius was born two years after his brother, little Lily born two years after him, named for the Grandmother she would never know and who she looked so alike, much to Remus' amazement. Lucius and Ginny as well had two more children, Serephina had been born two years after Lucas and Cassandra, and their last, a boy named Markus was born two years after her.

And the world continued to change around them, Kat, Ginny, and Hermione became inseparable as the years passed, and they watched their children grow. While Ginny had been the first to become a grandmother when you considered Kat and Draco's children her grandchildren, it was Kat who was the first to become a grandmother when one of their own children had a child. Elizabeth was born when her mother, Bellatrix was only eighteen, and was the oldest at the age of eight. After her were Lucas' twins, Christianna and William; Cassandra's twins, Virginia and Thomas; both sets surprisingly born the same day making Ginny a grandmother four times over while Lucas' wife and Cassandra exchanged looks over the oddity that happened that day. Three months later Kat's son Tom had become a father to little Rebecca, all five children having just seen their fifth birthday. Kat's third and currently last grandchild had been born the year after, Regulus' son he named Sirius for one of his best friends and the popularity of the name in the Black family. The following year Serephina had her first child, Ginny and Lucius' third granddaughter named Georgia. Two years later Hermione and Harry had finally become grandparents when James' daughter Ellen was born, followed the following year by Serephina's son Christopher, Andrew's daughter Aimee who finally made Draco and Blaise grandfathers, and last but not least, little Jasmine, Lily Potter's daughter.

It was Jasmine that led to the 'Family' summer vacation to be at the famed Walt Disney World Resort this year, Lily hadn't been able to help but decorate the little girl's room entirely in anything relating to the Disney Princess who shared her name. Perhaps, if nowhere else in the world, it was here, at this place that had once solely been Muggle, which showed best the changes in the world from thirty years prior. Here in this 'kingdom' dedicated to what were once considered just mythological creatures, while there were some that were machines called 'animatronics', the dragons mostly since it was so very difficult to control a dragon that well, there were living creatures too. Unicorns that were treated with care and respect, roamed the maze on one side, Winged Horses that Muggles still liked to call Pegasus, lived in the 'gardens' dedicated to the movie Fantasia… There was even a Kelpie living in a lagoon named after the famous Loch Ness in Scotland where the most famous of Kelpies lived, this one enjoying the shape of a sea serpent like it's relative though occasionally it would change shapes just to surprise people, popping up to see those who would be eating on the balcony of a restaurant on the shore, eagerly catching anything that would be thrown it's way even though there were signs asking that you not feed the Kelpie….

They had even had to chastise the Malfoy, Riddle, and Potter grandchildren when they wanted to feed the Kelpie, before the three women had turned their attention to yelling at Draco when he tossed it a few French fries as American's called them. Eventually they had left the restaurant and headed towards the Fantasia Gardens to walk off their late lunch and let the children roam, the 'Grandparents' content to watch their children chase after the kids, even if Kat felt the need to still yell at them.

"I like it here, we should visit more often," Hermione mused as they leisurely moved along, others moving around the group.

"It's nice," Tom agreed as he moved up to catch his wife's hand as the three women split apart to move next to their husbands, but remaining close to each other.

"You're liking the fact no one recognizes you anymore," Kat teased as she reached up to brush a lock of silver hair back from where it had fallen into his eyes.

"I think we all are," he countered with a smile as he looked over at Lucius who's hair had long since turned a silvery shade of white, while their wives retained their natural hair colour, a trait shared by Harry, Hermione, Draco and Blaise; though Kat and Ginny both secretly agreed they liked the silver hair on their husbands.

"You ever wonder if it won't be like this forever?" Blaise asked curious. "If in another hundred years it won't start back down the path to the way things were?"

"If it does, I suppose we could always put a stop to it," Tom mused.

"You'll be two hundred years old in another hundred years, let someone else deal with it," Kat rolled her eyes, "And you," she looked back at Blaise, "Stop worrying."

"No one knows what the future holds," Hermione began softly as she watched her grandchildren and theirs up ahead, "But I think that things will never be like they were. And even if it comes to pass, we won't be around to see it."

"All we can do is enjoy the world we have now, and our family, and each other," Ginny agreed with a smile as she leaned her head on Lucius, while he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I rather like that plan," Lucius smiled.

"So we relax, live, love, and try not to kill Dra when he does something stupid," Kat smiled.

"Hey!"

"Hey is for horses," Kat, Ginny and Hermione chorused before seeing the look Draco was giving them and slipping out of their husband's arms in time to start running as Draco started after them, their laughter echoing through the gardens while their husbands, children, and grandchildren watched on shaking their heads. Some thing's never changed, and never would. And that's just how it was meant to be.

6


End file.
